Tirupati: The India Meteorological Department has issued a flash flood alert for Anantapur, Kurnool, Kadapa and Chittoor districts in Rayalaseema and a similar alert has been issued for Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district on the south coast of Andhra Pradesh. Officials said that the severe low pressure is likely to turn into a depression.
The average rainfall recorded in the state from 8:30 am on Tuesday (October 21) to 8:30 am on Wednesday (October 22) was 18.3 mm. The average rainfall in Tirupati district was 92.3 mm. The average rainfall in Nellore district was 60.8 mm, Chittoor district 39.5 mm, Annamayya district 37.7 mm, Kadapa district 22.9, and Prakasam district 24.9 mm, the AP Disaster Management Authority said.
Holiday for schools in Nellore:
Rain continues to lash many places in Nellore, Prakasam districts and many areas in Rayalaseema. Nellore Collector Himanshu Shukla has declared a holiday for educational institutions. The collector has ordered the police and revenue authorities to be on alert. In view of the rains, he said, a control room has been set up in the collectorate with the numbers 0861 2331261, 79955 76699.
In Kadapa, rainwater is overflowing on roads and municipal administration staff is removing garbage from the canals. Fire, police and revenue officials have been alerted.
AP govt on high alert:
Due to the strengthening of a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, state government machinery is on high alert. In the backdrop of extremely heavy rainfall in South Coastal AP and Rayalaseema, Home Minister Anita held a review meeting with APSDMA officials. She issued directions to keep NDRF, SDRF, police and fire personnel ready for relief operations and to keep control rooms in districts on alert 24/7.
Low pressure likely to strengthen into a depression:
The low pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal is moving northwestwards from Tamil Nadu coast and is likely to strengthen into a depression over the southwest and west-central Bay of Bengal in the next 12 hours. It is likely to move over the coasts of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh in the next 12 hours.
The cyclonic storm is likely to move towards north Tamil Nadu and the south coast. The Meteorological Department officials have issued a red alert in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They said that winds are likely to blow at a speed of 30-45 kmph along the south AP coast.