Michaung intensifies into severe cyclonic storm, heavy rains in parts of Andhra

Amaravati : Cyclone Michaung looming over west-central and coastal south Andhra Pradesh has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, leading to heavy rainfall in several parts of the state, said an official on Monday.

The severe cyclonic storm is likely to intensify gradually and move northwards almost parallel and close to south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla during forenoon of December 5, said an Amaravati Meteorological Centre official in a press release. Up to 8:30 am on Monday the weather system moved northwestwards with a speed of eight km per hour and lay centred in the region off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts.

It is centred 90 km east to northeast off Chennai, 17.0 km southeast of Nellore, 200 km northeast off Puducherry, 300 km south to southeast off Bapatla and 320 km south of Machilipatnam, said the official. The weather system is expected to blow maximum sustained winds reaching up to speeds of 100 kmph and gusting to 110 kmph as well. The Meteorological Department reiterated its forecast of heavy rainfall, accompanied by gales in parts of Andhra Pradesh over the next three days from Monday to Wednesday. In the wake of the Michaung severe cyclonic storm, several places in the southern state are receiving heavy rainfall. Due to incessant rains, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has temporarily denied permission for devotees to take holy bath at Sri Kapilathirtham waterfalls. TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh postponed his ‘Yuva Galam' padayatra (political walkathon) by three days in view of the inclement weather.