The Anantapur district administration has set up control rooms at all mandal headquarters to keep a close watch on the progress of cyclonic storm Nivar, which is likely to cross the Tamil Nadu coast on Wednesday evening.
As a consequence of the landfall and crossing of the cyclonic storm, heavy to very heavy rain is expected at one or two places in the district and wind speeds are also expected to be high in the southeastern mandals. During a review meeting with officers here on Tuesday, District Collector Gandham Chandrudu has asked all people residing in thatched houses or tin-roofed houses to go to a safe place.
Meanwhile, the Fire Department personnel have been alerted and village and ward secretariat staff are using tom-tom drums to caution people, asking them to stay indoors during the cyclonic storm, Mr. Chandrudu said.
Officials have also been asked to keep a watch on the irrigation tanks, which are already full to the brim, as there was a possibility of them overflowing or breaching.
In Kurnool, District Collector G. Veerapandian said steps had been taken to alert farmers and horticulture crop growers to take measures to avoid inundation of their fields. Command Control rooms had been opened at all mandal headquarters and the control room numbers have been publicised, he said
Helpline
A 24X7 control room will function at the District Collector’s office with contact no. 08518-277305; people in Nandyal can call 08514-221550/8333989013; for those in Adoni, contact 8333989012 and Kurnool officials will be available over phone no. 8333989011.
