The Cyclone Phethai made landfall at Katrenikonain in East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh on Monday afternoon with wind speed that gusted up to 85-90 kmph triggering heavy rains. One person has been killed so far in the cyclone, reports said.
According to The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rainfall in most places of Odisha during the next 12 hours might take place.
Not only this, but as per the latest information, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in four districts- Malkangiri, Koraput, Gajapati and Rayagada. Flooding is possible along the path of Phethai.
Many places in Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, and Gajapati districts are expected to receive more rains in the next 12 hours. Besides, heavy rain is likely at isolated placesof Ganjam, Puri, Nuapada, Bargarh, Bolangir, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundergarh and Keonjhar districts.
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely over Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, southeast part of Bihar, Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, Assam, and Nagaland on Monday. Heavy to very heavy rain or snow is likely over Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
Northern, central, western, and southern India will experience dry weather with calm winds. Locally dense fog and lower visibility are forecast especially in central India.
Squally winds with speed reaching 30-40 kmph and gusting up to 50 kmph are likely along and off South Odisha coast during next 12 hours.
However, IMD has stated that the situation might get better today as the amount of rainfall is likely to decrease in the afternoon.
Fishermen Warning:
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into West Central adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal, north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts during next 12 hours.
On the other hand, farmers in the state are in distress due to the rains triggered under the impact of the cyclone. Standing paddy and cotton crops along with harvested paddy stocks stashed on open fields have suffered the most damage due to the rains continuing in several districts.
“We could not do anything as the rain occurred suddenly. The harvested paddy was left out in the open and was soaked in the rain. We had cultivated the crops by availing farm loans but now after the rains we are concerned on how to repay the loans, as neither any assistance nor any help were provided to us,” rued a farmer.
Office of the Gajapati Collector informed that around 11,600 people of seven vulnerable blocks in the district have been shifted to safer places.
However, tomorrow (19 December), the remains of 'Phethai' will likely continue to bring moderate to heavy rain over Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, and Nagaland. Moderate to heavy rain or snow is likely over Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. Isolated rain is likely over Meghalaya. Rains will end by noon in most areas.
Thunderstorms are possible in northern India. Tamil Nadu and Kerala will also experience scattered rain as these regions will be a convergence zone of easterly and westerly flow. Locally dense fog and lower visibility are forecast especially in Central India.
The maximum temperatures sharply dropped over eastern, central and northeastern India on Monday due to the cooler air brought by ‘Phethai’. The cold will continue in central and eastern India during this week. In southern India, maximum temperatures will be average or above this week.
There is another cyclonic circulation over Bay of Bengal between Sri Lanka and West Sumatra which is moving northwestward. It might pose another threat on Friday (this weekend) for southern India.
