Incessant rain lashed south coastal Andhra Pradesh under the influence of severe cyclonic storm “Nivar” over southwest Bay of Bengal, which intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm on Wednesday.
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SPSR Nellore district administration began evacuation of people living in the hamlets in, among other mandals, Tada, Sullurpeta, Gudur and Naidupeta as rain occurred at most places and heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rain in some places. Weathermen predicted rain at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy falls in the next 24 hours.
About 2,000 people living in coastal hamlets were moved to safer places so far, official sources said. A control room was opened at the Collectorate. Motorists had a tough time travelling as many roads, especially in low-lying areas and on Nellore outskirts were flooded with rainwater. The sea remained rough to very rough.
Squally wind speed reaching 30 to 40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph along and off the coast prevailed. Gale wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph was very likely along and off the coastal district in the early hours of Thursday, weathermen said.
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Low-lying areas in, among other areas, Naidupeta and Venkatagiri towns were submerged following continuous downpour. Cautionary signal three was hoisted at Krishnapatnam.
District Collector K.V.N.Chakradhar Babu oversaw the preparedness of the staff in meeting any emergency in Kothapatnam village in Kota mandal, which witnessed steady showers since Wednesday night.
Farmers were a worried lot as the downpour submerged paddy seedlings raised in the coastal mandals. Reviewing the situation with officials in Nellore, State Irrigation Minister P.Anil Kumar Yadav asked the officials concerned to be fully on alert to avert breaches to tanks as also major reservoirs including Somasila and Kandaleru which had reached maximum storage capacity.
Personnel of the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force rushed to the coastal mandals to oversee relief and rescue operations.
Prakasam District Collector Pola Bhaskar visited Ulavapadu, which is likely to bear the brunt of the cyclone in the district after landfall, and asked the staff to undertake relief and rescue operations. Special officers were appointed to monitor the situation 24x7 in the 11 coastal mandals.
Port warnings
Local cautionary signal-III was hoisted at Machilipatnam, Krishnapatnam, Nizampatnam and Vadarevu ports. Distant warning signal-II was hoisted at Visakhapatnam Port, DW-II with section signal number - IV was hoisted at Kakinada and Gangavaram ports.