3 lakh evacuated as Lehar approaches Andhra coast

Andhra Pradesh CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy has appointed special officers in nine coastal districts to oversee relief.

Heavy rain is expected to hit Krishna as well as East and West Godavari districts when cyclone Lehar,which was 700 km away from the Andhra coast Wednesday evening,makes landfall Thursday afternoon.

Lehar is expected to make landfall between Machilipatnam in Krishna district and Kakinada in East Godavari. Nearly three lakh people have been evacuated from low-lying areas,according to Disaster Management Commissioner C Partha Sarathy. While authorities are hopeful that there will be no casualties,the three districts are bracing for heavy rain and destruction of crops,power lines,communication and transport services.

The Met Department has predicted that the cyclone will weaken after making landfall. This is the third cyclone to hit the Andhra coast in the past two months.

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Lehar will be more powerful than Helen that hit Krishna and East Godavari districts over the weekend and resulted in extensive damage to crops,power and communication lines. According to a Met Department advisory,winds reaching 45-55 kmph are expected along the Andhra Pradesh and south Orissa coast from November 27. As the cyclone intensifies,wind speed could reach 200 kmph at the time of landfall.

Andhra Pradesh CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy has appointed special officers in nine coastal districts to oversee relief and rescue efforts. Round the clock control rooms at the Secretariat 040-23452144 and 040-23451043 have also been set up.