Cyclone crosses Kalingapatnam

Visakhapatnam: Cyclone Gulab crossed the coast between Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Gopalpur in Odisha around midnight on Sunday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

"The landfall process commenced as the cloud bands have touched coastal regions of north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south coastal Odisha around 7 pm and the system crossed coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur, about 25 km to north of Kalingapatnam," the IMD said. As a result of the cyclone, Chhattisgarh and Telangana are likely to witness heavy rains on Monday. Weather office said that this cyclone was a low impact cyclone but still had issued a red alert for the next four days. Six fishermen from Srikakulam, who had gone to Odisha to buy a new boat, fell into the sea after strong waves hit their boat off the Mandasa coast. Two of the six reportedly died while the search for others is on.

Even as the process of landfall began, reports of several trees falling on roads were reported at many places in districts of Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and Ganjam areas. NDRF teams have started road clearing and restoration work as part of their night operations at Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh, said NDRF DG SN Pradhan. He tweeted pictures of the NDRF team removing trees. District authorities have opened camps and shifted people from low- lying areas to the camps as precautionary measures.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy reviewed the situation. Following heavy rains, normal life was thrown out of gear in Visakhapatnam. Several parts of the district and low-lying areas, including Sheelanagar, Gajuwaka, Poorna Market, Convent junction, Malkapuram, Pendurthi, Kancharapalem and One Town Area were inundated.

A 22-member NDRF team was deputed at Gajuwaka, while a 25-member SPRF team was kept ready in the city. Cyclone shelters, 300 water tankers, excavators, among others were arranged by the district administration as a part of its calamity preparedness.

Naval aircraft were kept ready at Naval Air Stations, INS Dega at Visakhapatnam and INS Rajali near Chennai to undertake an aerial survey of the most-affected areas, casualty evacuation and airdrop of relief material as required. Officials were asked to visit mandals to ensure availability of essential supplies.

As part of the preparedness, flood relief teams and diving teams are prepositioned at Visakhapatnam to render immediate assistance. Two Naval ships are at sea with disaster relief material and medical teams to render assistance in the most-affected areas.