Cyclone Gulab has made landfall in coastal regions of state and Odisha, the weather office tweeted tonight. The cyclone will cross the coasts between Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Gopalpur in Odisha within the next three hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
“The cloud bands have touched coastal regions and thus the landfall process has commenced over north coastal province and adjoining south coastal Odisha. System will cross coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur, about 25 km to north of Kalingapatnam, during the subsequent three hours,” the IMD tweeted.
Cyclone Gulab is that the second to hit Odisha in four months after Cyclone Yaas in May. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said efforts are on to confirm no casualties thanks to the cyclone within the seven high-risk districts – Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri.
The next two hours are crucial. We expect winds to blow at the speed of 90-100 kmph. Two teams of NDRF and 4 teams of SDRF have arrived here. Heavy rainfall may lead to floods, which is another challenge. 19 mandals within the district are flood-prone,” Srikakulam collector Sumit Kumar said, news organization ANI reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Mr Patnaik and province Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and guaranteed them of the centre’s support. “Discussed the cyclone situation in parts of Odisha with CM @Naveen_Odisha Ji. The Centre assures all possible support in overcoming this adversity,” PM Modi tweeted.
Five fishermen from Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam fell into the ocean after strong waves hit their boat off Mandasa coast, ANI reported, adding police and other teams are attempting to rescue them.
At least 42 teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and 24 squads of the National Disaster Response Force, together with over 100 teams of firefighters are dispatched to those places.
“The Chief Minister has asked people to stay indoors, particularly in pucca houses from Sunday evening till 10 am on Monday, during which the cyclone will undergo the region,” Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena told reporters.
Over the following three days, the ocean condition are rough to very rough and fishermen in Odisha, state and province are asked to not venture into east-central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.
