Cyclone Ditwah Triggers Red Alert in Three Andhra Pradesh Districts
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Alert for three districts in Andhra Pradesh as Cyclonic Storm Ditwah intensifies over the Southwest Bay of Bengal.
AMARAVATI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Alert for three districts in Andhra Pradesh as Cyclonic Storm Ditwah intensifies over the Southwest Bay of Bengal. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is forecasted for Sunday as the system tracks parallel to the coast.
Red Alert and High Rainfall Warnings
The Red Alert, indicating the need for immediate action, applies to the following districts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema:
♦ Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore
♦ Chittoor
♦ Tirupati
In addition to the Red Alert areas, the IMD predicts heavy to very heavy rainfall in:
♦ Prakasam
♦ Annamayya
♦ YSR Kadapa
Lighter but still significant heavy rainfall is expected over a broader region, including Anantapur, Sri Satya Sai, Kurnool, Nandyal, Palnadu, Bapatla, and Guntur districts.
Wind Speed and Sea Conditions
According to the Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre, Cyclonic Storm Ditwah was centered about 220 km south of Chennai and is very likely to move northwards parallel to the North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts over the next 24 hours. Crucially, the storm is not expected to make landfall and may weaken into a deep depression at sea.
Despite this, coastal regions face severe weather risks:
Gale Winds: Wind speeds of 60-70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph, are likely over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.
Squally Winds: Speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, are forecasted for North Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are also highly probable across coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and Rayalaseema.
Fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea until Monday.
Disaster Preparedness and Response
Port warnings are in effect, with Cautionary Signal Number Three hoisted at Krishnapatnam port. Signal Number Two continues at Visakhapatnam, Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam, Gangavaram, and Kakinada ports.
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has taken swift action:
APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain urged residents of Prakasam, Nellore, and Tirupati districts to remain highly alert.
State Home Minister V. Anitha has directed officials to maintain a state of high readiness.
Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to Venkatagiri in Nellore district for immediate rescue and relief operations, with three additional teams on standby.
The public is advised to monitor official IMD and APSDMA updates closely and take necessary precautions to ensure safety during the inclement weather.
