Cyclonic Storm 'Gulab' to cross coast on Sunday midnight

The Cyclonic Storm 'Gulab' lay centred over the west-central Bay of Bengal, about 270 km east-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha and 330 km east of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh as of early Sunday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

It is likely to move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur around Sunday midnight of September 26, according to the IMD's latest bulletin.

Tidal wave of about 0.5 metre in height above the astronomical tide likely to inundate low lying areas of Srikakulam, Sompeta, Vizianagaram, Ganjam districts in Andhra Pradesh during the time of landfall.

Post landfall on Monday, there would be heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over south Chhattisgarh; heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over Odisha, Telangana and Vidarbha; and heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal West Bengal and north Chattisgarh.

Sea condition will be rough to very rough over east-central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal on Sunday and 'high' over Northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal and along and off Odisha, West Bengal and North Andhra Pradesh till late Sunday night and Monday morning, the IMD added.

The fishermen in the affected areas have been advised not to venture into the rough waters.