Bhubaneswar: Odisha yesterday asked collectors of its 10 coastal and southern districts to remain alert as cyclone Lehar over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm.
The state also asked fishermen who are out at sea to return to safer places.
The storm hit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with wind speeds of over 110km an hour on Sunday, and lay centred about 1,070km southeast of Gopalpur off the Odisha coast, officials said.
It would intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm and move west-north-westwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada around noon on November 28, they added.
The wind speed could be 180-200km an hour during landfall.
The Bhubaneswar Met office has asked the state government to take adequate measures for standing crops in the southern part of the state.
It has asked two state ports at Gopalpur and Paradip to keep hoisted distance warning signals and advised fishermen who are out at deep sea to return to safer places, S C Sahu, director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, said.
“We are keeping a close watch on the cyclone. We may issue necessary alerts to all coastal districts as and when required,” state’s special relief commissioner P K Mohapatra said.
“We won’t have any problem from wind point of view. There may be some rainfall. Rainfall for one day is ok because it may dry up. If it continues for three days, it may affect standing crops,” he said.
The administrations of 10 coastal and southern districts have been told to remain prepared, he said.
The administration of Ganjam has been told to remain extra cautious as the region may witness heavy rain.
The latest warning has triggered fear among coastal residents as the Bay of Bengal has already witnessed two cyclones since October.
IANS
