Cyclone Michaung approaches Andhra Coast: NDRF on high alert

Cyclone Michaung, currently developing in the Bay of Bengal, is anticipated to make landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast by Tuesday morning, bringing winds of up to 100 kmph, heavy rain, and strong winds to coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu.

In response to the impending cyclone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended support to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Reddy, pledging the full assistance of the central government in relief and rescue operations. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is on standby, ready for deployment as required.

Chief Minister Reddy conducted a meeting to assess the state's preparedness and instructed district collectors in coastal areas to be fully equipped for potential relief and rehabilitation efforts. Evacuations from low-lying areas have already taken place, and emergency shelters have been established. Fishermen are advised to avoid venturing into the sea until further notice.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the deep depression over the Southwest Bay of Bengal is moving west-northwestwards. It is currently 520 kilometers southeast of Nellore, 620 kilometers south-southeast of Bapatla, and 620 kilometers south-southeast of Machilipatnam, traveling at a speed of 7 kilometers per hour as of 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The landfall is expected to occur between Nellore and Machilipatnam on Sunday.

In response to the potential threat, the Puducherry government has declared a holiday for colleges in Puducherry, Karaikal, and Yanam regions. Other state governments have activated their response teams, with Tamil Nadu dispatching over 100 State Disaster Response Team members to Kanchipuram district in anticipation of the cyclone.

Precautionary measures include the cancellation of 118 trains in Tamil Nadu by the Southern Railway, covering intra-state long-distance trains from December 3 to 6.

Sunanda, the Managing Director of Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre, stated that the deep depression is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm over the Southwest Bay of Bengal within the next 24 hours. It is then projected to move northwestwards, reaching the west-central Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts by December 4. The cyclone is expected to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Nellore and Machilipatnam during the forenoon of December 5.

The Meteorological Office forecasts heavy rain in north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on December 3 and 4, followed by a reduction. Coastal Andhra Pradesh is expected to experience heavy rain until December 6, with Odisha also facing heavy rain until the same date.

In a proactive safety measure, the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority has initiated the sending of text messages to fishermen, advising them to refrain from venturing into the sea due to strong winds associated with Cyclone Michaung.