Cyclone Mandous is likely cross the coast between Sriharikota in Tirupati district and Puducherry with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph on December 9 (Friday) midnight, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Cyclone Mandous will maintain its severe storm strength until Friday morning and then gradually lose its intensity over the sea before making landfall by midnight.
During landfall, the storm is likely to cause damages in the six alerted districts of Chittoor, Tirupati, Prakasam, Kadapa, Nellore, and Annamayya. Communication and power lines, thatched huts and trees are likely to be damaged.
IMD’s Amaravati Centre Director S. Stella said that Cyclone Mandous on Thursday moved west-northwestward over the sea and was likely to pass between Puducherry and Sriharikota on Friday midnight.
“The storm will be severe over the sea and weak on the land after landfall. During the landfall time, there will be rains and winds at the speed of 40-50 kmph in the border districts of Andhra Pradesh,” Ms. Stella told The Hindu.
Already, rainfall activity began in the south coastal districts under the influence of the storm. Light to moderate rain conditions would continue on Friday too with heavy to very heavy rain in the path of the landfall, she added.
“Mandous is the third cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this year and the second in the current northeast monsoon season,” she said.
Jagan’s directive
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered the District Collectors to be alert in view of the cyclone.
The government deployed teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State DRF to assist officials in the identified districts.
A.P. Disaster Management Authority Managing Director B.R. Ambedkar said that five NDRF and four SDRF teams had been deployed in the required areas.
“We have issued alerts to around 89 lakh subscribers in the six districts through the Common Alert Protocol system. We are closely monitoring the track of the cyclone and have taken all precautionary measures. We have started using this advanced communication system with this Cyclone Mandous,” Mr. Ambedkar said.
Mandous is the name given by the UAE as per the protocol and it means ‘Treasure Box’ in Arabic language.
