Cyclone wreaks havoc in AP
NDRF personnel clear uprooted trees from a street following the landfall of Cyclone Michaung, in Nellore on Tuesday
Vijayawada: Severe cyclonic storm Michaung, which crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast close to Bapatla district between 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm on Tuesday with maximum gales of 90 –100 km per hour speed, paralysed normal life in the state. While making the landfall, the eye of the storm was situated near Bapatla in south Andhra Pradesh coast while the forward sector of the weather system had also entered overland. The landfall phenomenon lasted around three hours.
Roads were inundated at many places and due to cancellation of trains and flights, people had to face severe hardship. At many places, people faced problems due to shutdown of power supply. Several colonies particularly the low-lying areas were inundated. Heavy rains are predicted for the next 24 to hours in the state and the entire administration has been put on high alert.
At many places in the twin Godavari districts, trees were uprooted and powerlines were damaged. The district Government General Hospital was waterlogged due to heavy rainfall and the officials were trying to pump out the water through motors.
Aqua farmers suffered huge losses due to fall in temperatures with continuous rainfall. Some shops near Suryalanka beach were blown away due to heavy winds.
In Tirupati, a two-storey building collapsed. All the reservoirs were overflowing. The most affected districts include Tirupati, Chittoor and Srikalahasti. Streams were overflowing and several colonies were inundated.
In Nellore district, as the cyclone storm crossed the district in the wee hours, several rivulets, tanks, including Kanupuru Canal, Nakkalavagu, Ramanannacheruvu, Servepalle reservoir, Kaivalya, Kalangi, were flowing at danger level. Kanupuru Canal had developed breach. In Srikakulam, paddy crop in several acres, which was ready to be harvested, got damaged.
According to the weather office, the weather system moved northwards and weakened into a cyclonic storm. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting to take stock of the severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday and assessed its impact and relief measures.
About 52 rehabilitation centres have been set up and arrangements were made to accommodate more than 60,000 people. Further, the state government took steps to prevent four lakh tons of grains from getting wet. A holiday has been declared for schools in Eluru district.