Heavy rain forecast for Andhra due to cyclone in Bay of Bengal

With deep depression over Bay of Bengal likely to intensify into a cyclone by Wednesday evening, the Met department has forecast heavy to very heavy rains over the next three days in parts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression over Southeast and adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression and lay centred at 05.30 hours about 770 km east-southeast of Karaikal and about 830 km southeast of Chennai.

The deep depression is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further gradually into a cyclonic storm around the evening of December 7 and reach the southwest Bay of Bengal off north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by December 8 morning.

It will continue to move west-northwestwards towards north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the subsequent 48 hours, the IMD said in a bulletin.

Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places are very likely over coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal and adjoining areas off south coastal Andhra Pradesh on December 8. Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Coastal Andhra Pradesh and isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over north interior Tamil Nadu and adjoining Rayalaseema on December 9.

Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority said on Wednesday that heavy to very heavy rains are likely over next three days in Prakasam, SPSR Nellore and Tirupati districts.

Heavy to heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places in Chittoor, Annamayya and YSR Kadapa districts in Rayalaseema region. In the remaining districts, light to moderate rainfall is likely.

Gusty winds of 50-60 kmph along the coast are likely to prevail from December 8.

Districts likely to be affected have been alerted, the disaster management authority said.

As the sea is likely to be rough, the IMD has warned fishermen to not go fishing till Saturday along the South Andhra Coast - Tamil Nadu coasts. Farmers have also been told to take due care in agricultural work.