IMD warns of high waves along Andhra coast as Cyclone 'Montha' approaches

Amaravati, Oct 27 (PTI) The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and the Meteorological Department on Monday forecast high sea waves along the Andhra Pradesh coast from Nellore to Srikakulam, ranging between 2 and 4.7 metres as cyclone 'Montha' is set to intensify into a cyclonic storm on October 28 morning.

According to a joint bulletin from both the agencies, the high waves are expected for six hours, between 5:30 pm and 11:30 today.

“High waves in the range of two to 4.7 metres are forecast during 5:30 pm to 11:30 pm of October 27 off the coast of Andhra Pradesh from Nellore to Srikakulam.” The cyclonic storm 'Montha', which means a fragrant flower in Thai language, was centered over westcentral and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal at 5.30 pm, moving northwest at 15 km per hour during the past six hours.

It lay about 450 km south to southeast of Kakinada, 420 km east of Chennai, 500 km south to southeast of Visakhapatnam and 670 km south to southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha).

The system is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning, said a press release from the Met Department.

“Continuing to move further north-northwestwards, it is very likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the evening and night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph (and) gusting up to 110 kmph,” it added.

A storm surge of about one metre above astronomical tide is expected to cause inundation in low-lying areas of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam around landfall time.

INCOIS and Met Department predicted that light to moderate rainfall is very likely at most of the cyclone-affected places of Andhra Pradesh with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall over 20 cm at isolated places between October 27 and 29.

PTI STH ROH