IMD issues cyclone warning

♦ Polavaram spillway received about 5-lakh cusecs of inflow

♦ It is expected go up to 8 lakh cusecs in next few days

♦ IMD issues cyclone warning to the North Coastal districts and Yanam

♦ Yellow warning in coastal districts due to low-pressure area over Bay of Bengal

Vijayawada: In a surprise move for the first time after over four years of coming to power, the YSRCP government decided to release water from the Pattiseema project to the Krishna delta.

Minister for Irrigation Ambati Rambabu said that the Polavaram spillway received about 5-lakh cusecs of inflow and it is estimated to go up to 8 lakh cusecs in the next few days. Hence for the first time in four years, water is being released from Pattiseema to Krishna delta, he said. The decision was taken due to heavy rains being witnessed in the state resulting in the rise of water levels in River Godavari. The water to be released from Pattiseema will be stored in the Pulichintala project for future use, he said.

The TDP government had constructed the Pattiseema project to pump Godavari waters into the right canal and divert 100 tmc ft of water to the Krishna delta for the benefit of the farmers. But YSRCP had criticised this project and ignored it for the past four years. Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department on Thursday issued cyclone warning particularly to the North Coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam. According to the report, these areas are likely to witness heavy rains due to the impact of low pressure formed over the Bay of Bengal due to a low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast.

It is now lies over the Northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining the Odisha coast.

The associated cyclone circulation extends up to 7.6 km above the mean sea level tilting the south west wards with a height. It is likely to move slowly west-north western wards across the Odisha coast during the next 2-3 days.

Yellow warning has been issued to Coastal Andhra Pradesh due to the impact of a low-pressure area formed over Bay of Bengal. Consequently, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over the Alluri Sitaramaraju district, Eluru district and NTR district of Andhra Pradesh on Friday. Moderate rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on Saturday.

However, Sunday could dampen the spirits of holiday goers as heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over the Alluri Sitarama Raju and Eluru districts and parts of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Squally weather with wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely along and off the North Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam. Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea for five days.