Leher to hit Machilipatnam

• Slight change in course, weakens into a cyclonic strom
• Six districts alerted, about 3 lakh people moved to safer places
• 4 columns of Army to be stationed at strategic locations besides 30 teams of NDRF
• 58 fishing boats yet to return from sea

Hyderabad: While cyclone Lehar changed course slightly, the Andhra Pradesh Government has fine-tuned relief and rescue strategy. The cyclone is now expected to cross the coast at Machilipatnam in Krishna district on Thursday afternoon.

The weathermen had earlier projected that the cyclone might cross the coast at Kakinada.

They cautioned of heavy rains with wind speeds of up to 120-150 km an hour. After analysing the likely path of the cyclone, the Disaster Management Department officials have said that about six districts would take the maximum impact _ Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari, Visakhapatnam and Prakasam.

The National Disaster Response Force has allotted 30 teams to Andhra Pradesh to tackle the situation after the cyclone hits the coast.

The Centre has also assured all help to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to deal with the situation and sent National Disaster Response Force personnel to help the local authorities.

Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami reviewed the situation arising out of the approaching cyclone with National Disaster Management Authority, India Meteorological Department and all authorities concerned and directed them to offer all possible assistance to the two state governments to face the calamity.

Goswami also telephoned Chief Secretaries of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha assuring them of full central assistance before and after the landfall of cyclone 'Leher', official sources said.

The cyclone is currently positioned over South-East Bay of Bengal some 520 km East-southeast of Machilipatnam and 460 km southeast of Kakinada and heading towards Machilipatnam Coast with 15 kmph speed.

Disaster management commissioner C Parthasarathy told reporters at Secretariat that the Lehar will have landfall by Thursday afternoon with wind speed of 120-150 kmph. He said the respective district collectors had started shifting the people to relief camps. About three lakh people from the seven coastal districts are being moved to relief camps. He said after slowing down yesterday afternoon the cyclone has again picked up speed and was now moving at 15 kmph. As many as 58 boats, including 44 from Visakhapatnam, are yet to return from the troubled sea. “Any wind speed above 120 kmph would cause extreme damage to dwellings. We have begun shifting people to safer places. We are in touch with the fishermen in the boats,” Parthasarathi said.

A contingent of NDRF personnel have been dispatched to Machilipatnam where Lehar's landfall is expected on Thursday. Disaster management personnel have also been rushed to seven districts to tackle flash floods in the event of heavy rain.

Fishermen who are in the deep sea have been advised to return to the coast immediately. Sea condition will be rough to very rough tomorrow. On the other hand, 'Lehar' is likely to cause damage to agriculture crops and also disrupt power, communication lines, and rail and road traffic. The state government has requisitioned four helicopters and additional teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The state government has requisitioned four columns of Army, each comprising 100 men, for deployment in four strategic locations of Eluru, Kakinada, Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam.

The collectors of coastal districts opened control rooms, formed supervisory teams of officials and have stocked essential items like food and medicines and made arrangements for supply of drinking water. District administration has been asked to declare holiday for all educational institutions and commercial establishments depending on the situation to avoid any loss of life.