Amaravati, Oct 26 (IANS) With the threat of cyclone ‘Montha’ in the Bay of Bengal looming large, the Andhra Pradesh government has sent NDRF and SDRF teams to six coastal districts, appointed special officers for 19 districts and suspended all activities on beaches.

According to Prakhar Jain, Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority, eight teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and nine teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been sent to the coastal district for rescue and relief operations.

The teams from NDRF’s 10th battalion in Krishna district have been sent to PSR Nellore, Srikakulam, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, Kakinada, West Godavari and Krishna district.

As the sea is rough and there is a possibility of waves hitting the coast, fishing and all boating activities on the seashores have been suspended

All activities related to beaches and tourism recreation have been suspended. Instructions have been issued to the Collectors of coastal districts to prohibit the entry of tourists to beaches.

The Disaster Management Authority has advised people to avoid travel between October 26 and October 29.

The depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kakinada on Tuesday night.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that at the time of the cyclonic storm’s landfall, strong winds with a maximum speed of 90-100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph, are likely.

The depression was centred at about 610 km west of Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), 850 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 790 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 840 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) and 950 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) on Sunday morning.

As heavy to very heavy rains are likely in coastal Andhra on Monday and Tuesday, the Disaster Management Authority has urged people to remain alert.

As the season’s first cyclonic storm is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu alerted the officials and directed them to prepare an action plan to prevent loss of life and property.

The Chief Minister, who reviewed the situation, directed the officials to ensure that essential services are not disrupted.

The Chief Minister conducted a teleconference with District Collectors and Superintendents of police on Sunday in view of a possible cyclone. He said officials should be more alert as IMD released a red alert in view of the Montha cyclone crossing the coast near Kakinada on October 28.

He said that as the cyclone effect will be from Srirakulam to Tirupati districts and possible rainfall up to 100 mm, District Collectors should formulate an action plan for relief measures.

The Chief Minister said that, if necessary, holidays should be declared to educational institutions, and the information should be passed on to the field level in real time. He said NDRF and SDRF teams should be deployed to vulnerable districts, and the hospital on wheels should be kept ready in Kakinada.

Meanwhile, Uppada Beach Road in Kakinada has been closed. People have been directed not to come for ‘Kartik snan’ in the sea.

The district administration has cancelled the leaves of the officials till October 30 and set up control rooms in mandals likely to be affected by the cyclone.

Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand issued orders appointing special officers for 19 districts and entrusting them with the responsibility of coordinating relief and rehabilitation measures. The orders said that these officers should cooperate with the district administration and ensure that assistance is provided to affected people.

The government has divided the state into three regions and appointed regional coordination officers. Senior IAS officer Ajay Jain will be in charge of the coastal areas from Srikakulam to Konaseema, while another senior IAS officer, R.P. Sisodia, will oversee the region from West Godavari to Prakasam.

The officials were instructed to immediately leave for their respective districts and set up cyclone control rooms in collaboration with the district collectors. They were told to coordinate the relief efforts undertaken by various departments.

–IANS

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