Amaravati, Oct 25 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday directed officials to maintain round-the-clock vigilance and ensure comprehensive preparedness to minimise the impact of Cyclone Arnab and prevent loss of life.
Reviewing preparedness measures with officials from 10 departments and district collectors, Naidu stressed the need for coordination among government agencies, regular alerts to the public and advance arrangements to ensure that people face no difficulties during the cyclone.
“Officials must remain vigilant round the clock, maintain the highest level of preparedness and plan in advance to minimise the impact of Cyclone Arnab and prevent any loss of life,” said Naidu in an official press release.
He directed officials to set up control rooms at the district level, continuously send precautionary messages to people’s mobile phones and persuade residents of coastal villages to follow government advisories.
The Chief Minister suggested that officials base preparedness measures on satellite information and scientific data, stressing that loss of life must be prevented and damage to property minimised as far as possible.
Officials were also asked to ensure that all fishing boats that had ventured into the sea returned to shore. As the sea was expected to remain extremely rough, fishermen were advised against venturing into the sea.
Naidu instructed the Electricity Department to remain fully prepared to minimise disruptions and ensure speedy restoration of power supply.
The Irrigation Department was directed to take necessary measures to replenish reservoirs and water resources using floodwater from heavy rainfall.
The Chief Minister further instructed officials to shift pregnant women, expected to deliver during the coming week, to hospitals in advance, warning that transportation disruptions could cause difficulties once the cyclone began affecting the state.
He also instructed authorities to maintain adequate stocks of drinking water and food.
District collectors were told to ensure there was no shortage of funds for emergency arrangements and that relief and rehabilitation centres had adequate facilities and amenities.
Agencies should be ready to restore mobile phone networks immediately in case of disruption, and delays would not be tolerated, the CM said.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that a severe depression over the Bay of Bengal was likely to intensify into a cyclone and cross the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the afternoon of October 28.
According to officials, the system could cross the coast along the Konaseema-Yanam-Kakinada coastal region, and it was located approximately 850 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 930 km from Kakinada.
The system was expected to intensify into a cyclone by October 26 morning, a severe cyclone by that night and a very severe cyclone on October 27.
Winds reaching upto 125 kmph were likely during landfall, with gusts potentially reaching 140 kmph on some occasions. Coastal areas could begin experiencing strong winds from October 27 morning.
Naidu directed officials to issue cyclone bulletins every four hours to keep the administration and public informed about changes in the system’s movement and intensity.
Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was forecast in North Andhra and central coastal districts on October 27 and 28, with exceptionally heavy rainfall possible at isolated places. Rainfall intensity was expected to be particularly high during these two days.
Kakinada, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Konaseema and East Godavari districts, along with other parts of North Andhra, were likely to experience strong winds and heavy rainfall, officials said.
Anakapalli district was expected to record the highest average rainfall of 292.55 mm, followed by Alluri Sitarama Raju district at 281.17 mm, Visakhapatnam at 253.87 mm and Srikakulam at 249.18 mm.
The state’s average cumulative rainfall over five days was estimated at 95 mm, while affected districts were likely to receive average rainfall of 22-29 cm, officials said.
(PTI News)
