Deep depression crosses Andhra coast near Kalingapatnam; Odisha bans sea bathing
The deep depression crossed the coast near Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district and is expected to weaken gradually over the next two days.
A deep depression over the north Andhra Pradesh coast crossed the shore close to Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district between 11 pm on Wednesday and 1 am on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department said.
According to the weather agency, the system had been moving slowly west-northwestwards at about three kilometres per hour over the preceding six hours before making landfall. The rainfall was accompanied by maximum sustained winds of up to 75 km per hour.
By 5:30 am on Thursday, the deep depression lay centred over north coastal Andhra Pradesh, roughly 50 km west of Kalingapatnam, 80 km north-northeast of Visakhapatnam and 170 km southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha.
The met department said the system is likely to continue moving northwestwards while maintaining the intensity of a deep depression for the next 12 hours. It is then expected to turn north-northwestwards and weaken gradually over the following 24 hours.
Regional forecasts indicate the deep depression will weaken into a depression on Thursday and remain so through Friday, before further weakening into a well-marked low pressure area on Saturday.
In Odisha, a heavy rain alert has been issued for Puri for the next two days. The district administration has hoisted red flags to caution tourists and has prohibited bathing in the sea, with lifeguards deployed across various sectors along the beach.
In Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada in NTR district has recorded continuous rainfall since Wednesday morning, inundating several low-lying areas. Schools in the city declared a holiday for the second consecutive day.
Neighbouring Jharkhand has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts, including Ranchi and West Singhbhum, for 24 hours until 8:30 am on Friday.