Cyclone Dana Might Spare AP

 Visakhapatnam: Cyclone Dana, the first cyclone post monsoons, might spare Andhra Pradesh but bring bountiful rains for the north coastal region when the system makes landfall on north Odisha-West Bengal border on October 25.

An India Meteorological Department report on Monday said the severe cyclone, Dana, is expected to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island on the intervening night of October 24 and 25 at a wind speed of 100-110kmph gusting to 120kmph.

However, many parts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts of north coastal AP will receive light to moderate rainfall and heavy rainfall at isolated places of north coastal AP on Oct 24, Thursday. Similarly, many parts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, ASR and Manyam districts will receive moderate rains and a few parts of these districts will experience heavy rainfall on Oct 25 (Friday).

Squally weather with wind speed of 35kmph to 45kmph, gusting to 55kmph, is likely to prevail along and off the north AP coast from Oct 23 to Oct 25.

IMD said the low-pressure area over the east central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea moved west-north-westwards and lay as a well-marked low pressure area over east central Bay of Bengal on Monday. It is very likely to move west-north-westwards and intensify into a depression by Tuesday and into a cyclonic storm by Oct 23, Wednesday, over east central Bay of Bengal.

Thereafter, it is very likely to move north-westwards and reach northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts by Oct 24.

An IMD official said the system most likely may not have a major impact on AP coast as it was heading towards Odisha and West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the district collectors and municipal commissioner sounded an alert and asked the people living in low-lying areas to take all precautionary measures. The ports advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till the system crossed the coast.