Orange alert: Andhra parts to receive heavy rainfall; Cyclone 'Mandous' set to make landfall

Visakhapatnam: Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in parts of Nellore, Tirupati, Annamayya, and Chittoor districts on Friday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said severe cyclonic Mandous (also pronounced Man-Dous) lies 240 km east-southeast of Karaikal and about 320 km southeast of Chennai,

Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in Prakasam, Kadapa, Anantapur, and Sathya Sai. Light to moderate rainfall is likely to lash many parts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) and the Rayalaseema region.

IMD issued an Orange alert for six districts in Andhra Pradesh-Chittoor, Tirupati, Prakasam, Kadapa, Nellore, and Annamayya, which indicates that the authorities need to be on guard to be able to take action. Communication and power lines, thatched huts, and trees are likely to be damaged.

Director, IMD, Amaravati, Stella S said that the system is very likely to maintain its intensity of severe cyclonic It will maintain intensity during the severe cyclonic storm and then weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm thereafter. It would continue to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota, around Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph around midnight of Friday to early hours of Saturday.

MET said that the cyclone is not a major storm but could still have significant impacts in parts of SCAP and Rayalaseema.

IMD also predicted that light to moderate rainfall is likely to occur in most parts of light to moderate rainfall in SCAP and Rayalaseema and a few parts in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Heavy rainfall is likely to be witnessed at a few places in Annamayya, Chittoor, Sathya Sai, and Anantapur districts on Saturday. IMD also warned the fishermen against venturing into the sea till Sunday.

Be vigilant: CM tells Collectors

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the collectors of various districts to be vigilant given the cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal. The Chief Minister reviewed the situation of the cyclone in the Bay of Bengal on Thursday. He said that adequate precautions should be taken by the authorities reviewing the impact of the storm from time to time.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that due to the impact of the storm, rain is forecast in Nellore, Tirupati, Chittoor, and other districts. He asked the officials of the agriculture department to create awareness about the precautions to be taken by the farmers and to be helpful to them