Southern India is on high alert as the looming threat of Cyclone 'Michaung' prompts Odisha to mobilize rescue teams, with Andhra Pradesh and other coastal regions bracing for the impact of heavy rainfall and strong winds.
As the severe cyclonic storm 'Michaung' approaches, the Odisha government is taking precautionary measures in the southern districts of the state. The cyclone, currently over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to make landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla, in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday morning, as reported by PTI.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that the cyclone is moving at a speed of 10 kmph and is centered around 80 km southeast of Nellore, with predictions of gradual intensification. The IMD anticipates that it will cross the southern Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla, as a severe cyclonic storm on December 5, with sustained wind speeds of 90-100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph.
While Odisha is not expected to face major impacts, the IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra notes that the state will experience light to moderate rainfall on Monday night, increasing to heavy rain on Tuesday. In preparation, Odisha's government has deployed rescue teams, including five teams of ODRAF and eight teams of the fire service, in the five southern districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam.
The Special Relief Commissioner, Satyabrata Sahu, emphasizes the potential for heavy rainfall in these districts, advising farmers to secure grains. Additional precautions include the cancellation of two Chennai-bound flights from Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar and the halting of 60 trains by East Coast Railways.
As part of the warning, the IMD issues a yellow alert for heavy rain in several districts on December 6. Squally weather conditions, with wind speeds reaching 35-45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, are expected along the Odisha coast, gradually increasing to 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, from the evening of December 5.
Fishermen are strongly advised against venturing into the deep sea along the Odisha coast from December 4-6. Meanwhile, farmers are taking precautions by harvesting matured crops based on government recommendations.