As Cyclone Gulab nears coast, rain reported over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Odisha

As per the 8.30 am satellite observations, the cyclone was located 180 km east-southeast of Gopalpur, Odisha, and 240 km east-northeast of Kalingapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The storm is moving in a westward direction with a wind speed of 17kms/hr.

Follow latest news | Cyclone Gulab in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh

Review of preparation level for #CycloneGulab . Teams are ready for evacuation task @CMO_Odisha @rdmodisha pic.twitter.com/tZIzpyBqVP

— Collector & District Magistrate, Ganjam (@Ganjam_Admin) September 26, 2021

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said the Cyclone Gulab will make landfall by Sunday evening between Gopalpur and Kalingapattanam and will cross the coast as a cyclonic storm. The storm will bring winds packing with aspeed between 75 to 85 kms / hr gusting to 95 km/hr. The landfall is expected to last through midnight.

Since yesterday, the northern districts of Andhra Pradesh and some areas in Tamil Nadu and Telangana witnessed an increase in rainfall. In the last 24 hours, rainfall at some locations were Krishna – 140mm, Bapatla – 70mm, Chittoor – 90mm, Cuddapah – 80mm, Cuddalore – 70mm.

The projected track of Cyclone Gulab which will cross south Odisha and north coastal Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evening. (Source: IMD)

The Odisha government has already mobilised men and machinery, and launched an evacuation drive in seven identified districts in the southern parts of the state. The maximum focus is on Ganjam and Gajapati, a senior official at the Special Relief Commissioner’s Office said.

The district collectors of Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput have also taken precaution against possible landslides in view of the downpour and high-velocity winds, officials said.

As many as 42 teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and 24 squads of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with about 102 teams of fire brigade personnel, have been dispatched to the seven districts — Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Kandhamal, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena said.

This is the third cyclone of 2021 after Tauktae and Yaas that had formed in May this year.