Helen cyclone :Heavy rains lash Andhra Pradesh

Control room numbers: A.P. State Secretariat — 040-23456005, 23451043; Krishna district collector office — 08672-252572 08672-251077

The cyclonic hurricane 'Helen' heading the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh later in the day while many parts in the regeion started being paid heavy rains under its impact

High alert has been sounded in the coastal districts, while authorities are taking precautionary measures which includes evacuation of people from low-lying areas as note of damage control from the cyclone of bay of Bengal.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the severe cyclonic storm will cross the coast near Machillipatnam around Friday afternoon.

The IMD has issued a cyclone warning to Andhra Pradesh coast.

The IMD’s bulletin early Friday said Helen over west central Bay of Bengal moved slightly west-northwestwards and lay centered at about 120 km east of Machillipatnam, 250 km east-northeast of Ongole and 200 km south-southwest of Vishakhapatnam.

It would move west-northwestwards for some time, then westward and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast near Machillipatnam.

Heavy rains accompany strong winds and are lashing Krishna, Visakhapatnam, West Godavari and some other parts of the coastal region since early Friday. Authorities have declared holiday for educational institutions.

Under the influence of cyclone, rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places would occur over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Guntur, Krishna, West Godavari districts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh during next 48 hours. Isolated extremely heavy falls (25 cm or more) are also likely.

Rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy falls would occur over remaining districts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalseema and Telangana on Friday and Saturday.

Squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph would prevail along and off south Andhra coast. The wind speed would gradually increase up to gale wind speed of 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph at the time of landfall.

As the sea conditions would be very high along and off Andhra Pradesh coast, Fishermen at Visakhapatnam, Nellore ofAndhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Puduchery fishermen are warned not to venture in sea for fishing.

IMD said the worst hit areas could be Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna districts in south coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile heavy rains in Rajahmundry and other parts of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh are observed since this morning. "nor'easter winds speed reaching 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph would prevail along and off south Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu coasts," it said.

Stormy winds with speeds reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph would prevail along and off north Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who reviewed the situation in coastal districts with top officials at a meeting in Hyderabad Thursday, directed the chief secretary to closely monitor the situation with all collectors of coastal districts to face any eventuality.

A control room to monitor the situation has been opened at the State Secretariat in Hyderabad. The control room numbers are 040-23456005, 23451043.

Krishna district collector Raghunandan Rao said a holiday was declared for all educational institutions in coastal areas.

He said 10 relief camps opened for people evacuated from low-lying areas. Sixty personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were set up for rescue and relief operations.

A control room in Krishna district collector’s office was opened. Its telephone numbers are 08672-252572 08672-251077

Helen is hostile Andhra coast even as the State is yet to recover from the massive damages caused by Phailin and heavy rains in October.

The 1,000 km long coastline of Andhra Pradesh and its nine district faces cyclone threats every year, especially between September and November. This is one of them.