Cyclone Nada weakens, rains likely to lash state

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh may witness a few spells of rains in the next two to three days even as the impending cyclone storm has fizzled out even before it made a landfall.

Cyclone Nada, formed over south-west Bay of Bengal, has weakened into a deep depression on Thursday. It is further expected to wind down in strength as a depression and subsequently a low pressure by the afternoon of Friday.

As per the predictions of the weathermen, the system would cross north Tamil Nadu coast between Vedaranniyam and Puducherry, south of Cuddalore, by the early hours of Friday as a depression.

The weather system is currently located about 290 km south-southeast of Chennai. Under the influence of the system, a few places in south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema may receive moderate rains in the next two days. The heavy rain warning was discontinued for Andhra Pradesh.

According to weathermen at the Cyclone War-ning Centre, strong surface winds from the north-east direction with speeds reaching up to 50 kmph would likely to prevail along and off south coastal Andhra Pradesh until Friday morning. Given the rough conditio-ns of the sea, they advised the fishermen of south coastal AP to not venture into the sea.

“As the depression would gradually lose its intensity, there would be no much impact on the south coastal Andhra Pradesh. Only a few places would receive moderate rains,” an official at the Cyclone Warning Centre said.

Moderate rain in Nellore
In view of forecast about moderate rains in south-coastal AP due to Cyclone Nada, district authorities instructed all the special officers of coastal mandals to be on alert and keep a tab on the situation under their jurisdictions.

Field-level officials have been asked to stay put in their place of posting to monitor the situation and report the developments to their seniors. Meanwhile, Nellore City and southern parts of the district witnessed intermittent rains since Thursday evening.

The climate has changed significantly with overcast sky and cold breeze in Nellore City since morning. The rainfall till 5.30 pm was 5 mm in Nellore City. Not only farming community even the people of the district are welcoming the cyclone though it may cause trouble because of dried up tanks and depleting groundwater levels. Weather department officials said the district may receive moderate to heavy rains as a result of the cyclone.

Navy readies ships, relief material
As the cyclone Nada building up over South West Bay of Bengal and is poised to strike the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast, the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) has assumed high degree of readiness to render necessary humanitarian assistance.

Two Indian Naval ships Shakti and Satpura are standing by at Vizag to proceed to the most affected areas if any to undertake Humanitarian Aid Distress Relief (HADR), evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid.

These ships are embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats, integral helicopters and relief material that include food, tentage, clothes, medicines, blankets etc, in quantities sufficient to sustain over 5,000 personnel.
Additionally, INS Ranjit presently deployed in the Bay of Bengal has been positioned off Tamil Nadu coast and would be the first responder for HADR operation, if required.

ENC is monitoring the developments closely and Flag Officer Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area is in constant communication with the state administration to augment rescue and relief operations, said a senior official of ENC. Naval aircraft is also standing by at the Naval Air Stations Rajali and Dega to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material to the stranded.

Additionally, diving teams with Gemini boats and four platoons with additional relief material are ready to be pressed into action at short notice.