New Delhi: Gulab is likely to make landfall between Gopalpur in Odisha and Kalingapatanam in Andhra Pradesh around midnight, the India Meteorological Department said.
The cyclone, the second to hit Odisha in four months, lay centred about 140 km east-southeast of Gopalpur and 190 km east-northeast of Kalingapatnam.
The Cyclonic Storm ‘Gulab’ over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of 26th Sep, over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal about 270 km east-southeast of Gopalpur & 330 km east of Kalingapatnam. pic.twitter.com/Omgo0MkdBe
Advertisement— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 26, 2021
It is likely to move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts with maximum sustained wind speed of 75-85 kmph gusting to 95 kmph, around midnight of today. The landfall process will commence from late evening of Sunday, the IMD said, while issuing a ‘red message’ (extreme rain).
The current speed of the system is 18 kmph.
Odisha
The Odisha government has already launched an evacuation drive in seven identified districts in the southern parts of the state.
As many as 42 teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and 24 squads of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with about 102 teams of fire brigade personnel, have been dispatched to the seven districts – Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Kandhamal, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P.K. Jena said.
Ganjam is expected to be severely affected by the cyclonic storm, and 15 rescue teams have been deployed in that area alone, Jena said.
Besides, 11 fire service units, six teams of the ODRAF and eight of the NDRF are on standby for emergency purposes, he said.
The Indian Navy is closely monitoring the movement of Cyclonic Storm ‘Gulab’ formed in the Bay of Bengal as it is expected to make landfall between North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha coast in the next 12 hours. #CycloneGulab
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) September 26, 2021
Advertisement
Over the next three days, the sea condition will be rough to very rough and fishermen in Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh have been asked to not venture into east-central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.
The Returning Officer (RO) of the Pipili assembly seat in Puri district has suggested to all the candidates in the fray for the September 30 bypoll to take appropriate precautionary measures during their campaigning.
Andhra Pradesh
Three teams of National Disaster Response Force and one of SDRF have been positioned in north coastal Andhra districts for rescue and relief operations.
Authorities in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts have prepared a plan of action to possibly shift about 86,000 families from low-lying areas to cyclone relief shelters, a government release here said on Saturday.
“The State Emergency Operations Centre is constantly monitoring the situation while the District Emergency Operation Centres have also been activated with all communication systems. Collectors of the three north coastal Andhra districts have been asked to take all required precautionary measures in view of the cyclonic storm,” the release said.
GULAB IS LIKELY TO MOVE NEARLY WESTWARDS AND CROSS NORTH ANDHRA PRADESH-SOUTH ODISHA COASTS BETWEEN KALINGAPATNAM & GOPALPUR, AS A CYCLONIC
STORM BY MID-NIGHT OF TODAY, THE
26TH SEPTEMBER, 2021.THE LANDFALL PROCESS WILL
COMMENCE FROM EVENING OF TODAY.— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 26, 2021
Two teams of NDRF have been deployed in Srikakulam district, which is expected to have more impact of the cyclone, and another in Visakhapatnam. An SDRF team has also been positioned in Visakhapatnam for emergency response.
The state government said the district Collectors have been specifically instructed to evacuate vulnerable families to safer places even at short notice.
Bengal
Meanwhile, the IMD said Kolkata in West Bengal and its adjoining areas, which are still reeling under the impact of torrential rain that occurred earlier this week, should brace for heavy showers next Tuesday and Wednesday owing to the new weather system near the Myanmar coast.
“The system is expected to move northwestwards and reach the West Bengal coast around September 29,” it said in a special bulletin.
Under the influence of Gulab and the developing weather system, rain and thundershower with lightning are very likely to occur at “many places” in south Bengal on Sunday and Monday, and “most places” on Tuesday and Wednesday, the weatherman added.
(With PTI inputs)
