The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Cyclonic storm moves away, monsoon advances

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Cyclonic storm moves away, monsoon advances

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 18. The cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal moved away from Andhra coast on Tuesday, thus sparing the State from battering but under its influence, the South-West monsoon `temporarily advanced' into Lakshwadweep, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Whether the monsoon stabilises itself and moves further depends on the behaviour of the cyclonic storm, according to C. V. V. Bhadram, Director, State Meteological Office, here. He said the system lay about 350 km south-east off Balasore in Orissa in the evening and it was likely to move in a north-westerly direction and cross the Orissa coast between Paradeep and Kolkata towards Wednesday night. The movement by the cyclonic storm, however, was sluggish. It remained stationary for 12 hours till this morning.

Under its influence, he said, there would be heavy to very heavy rain in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari districts on Wednesday and Thursday.

Meanwhile, due to heavy rain in Kurnool district yesterday, some rivulets and streams, including Kundu, were in spate. A 50-year-old person was drowned in the swollen Kundu. A breach occurred to the Hyderabad-Tirupati road in the district, holding up traffic on either side.

During the 24-hour period ended in the morning, the State experienced isolated rain. Tandur recorded 2 cm and Hyderabad and Kaikalur each 1 cm. Light to moderate rain is likely at many places in north Coastal Andhra and at a few places in Telangana Rayalaseema and the rest of Coastal Andhra.

CM reviews situation

The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Tuesday reviewed the cyclone precautionary measures and alerted the administration in the districts on the possibility of heavy rainfall during the next 48 hours.

In view of the situation, the concerned Superintendent Engineers have been instructed to take all precautionary measures to safeguard the irrigation systems in the event of any calamity.

They were also instructed to keep in touch with the district Collectors and closely monitor the situation, according to a press release.

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