Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Michaung’ Moves Close To Coast, Landfall Around 11AM Today

Bhubaneswar: Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are on high alert with severe cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ over westcentral Bay of Bengal about 40 km northeast of Kavali, 80 km north-northeast of Nellore, 80 km south-southwest of Bapatla and 140 km
South-southwest of Machilipatnam.

It is anticipated to make landfall close to Bapatla as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph around 11 am on Tuesday.

“As the system is moving northwards close to coast, some parts of the wall cloud region continues to lie over land. It is likely to move nearly northwards parallel and close to south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross south Andhra Pradesh coast close to Bapatla during next 4 hours as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its hourly bulletin.

The current intensity of the system at the centre is 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.

Under the influence of this system, light to moderate rainfall is likely at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall in South coastal and adjoining South interior Odisha on December 5 and isolated heavy rainfall over the same region on December 6.

December 5

(Orange Warning)

Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam.

(Yellow Warning).

Heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Puri

December 6

(Yellow Warning)

Heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada

While squally wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph has prevailed along and off Odisha coast of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts since last evening, it is expected to gradually increase to 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph from Tuesday evening for subsequent 12 hours.

Also, strong surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph may prevail over Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts of Odisha on December 5.