Lehar set to make landfall tomorrow

The very severe cyclonic storm "Lehar” overthe southeast Bay of Bengal moved westwards with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered over the southeast Bay of Bengal about 360 km west-northwest of Port Blair.  According to IMD the system would intensify further and move west-north-westwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machillipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada around Thursday noon. As a result, moderate rainfall would be witnessed at many places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh from Wednesday afternoon. Weathermen forecast squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph along and off Andhra Pradesh from Wednesday evening. As a precaution, the state government has suspended fishing operations. Fishermen out at sea off Andhra Pradesh are advised to get back on shore. The special officers of Krishna, East Godavari, West Godavari and Vishakhapatnam -among the special officers appointed for the nine coastal districts-- have been asked to be in touch with district collectors in view of IMD alert and to reach their respective districts by Wednesday. Round-the-clock control rooms at Secretariat were opened as part of the precautionary measures, while collectors of Krishna, West Godavari, East Godavari & Vishakhapatnam have been alerted. The Commandant of NDRF has been informed of the tentative requirement, while additional teams are being mobilised from Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Pune. A request was sent to the defence secretary for providing 4 helicopters to be stationed at Visakhapatnam. While 2 helicopters will be placed at Visakhapatnam, the rest will be kept at Hakimpet in Hyderabad. The Coast Guard, coastal Security wing, Marine Police, and SPs were asked to be on alert in view of the cyclone and assist the district administration. Out of 580 marine villages in 9 coastal districts fisheries department has contacted 529 villages about details of boats ventured into the sea. The Army and Railway authorities have also been alerted about the cyclone. Meanwhile, Odisha government on Tuesday rushed personnel of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force to ten districts and took measures to protect standing crops. Deccan Herald