Cyclone Michaung to cross Andhra coast on Dec 5: IMD

New Delhi: A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Sunday intensified into a cyclonic storm, ‘Michaung’, and is likely to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam during the forenoon of December 5 with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.

The system could result in heavy rains in most parts of southern Odisha and coastal region of the state, it said. The name Michaung (pronounced as migjaum) was suggested by Myanmar and it means strength or resilience.

The system which moved northwestwards with a speed of 5 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm lay centered at 5.30 am at about 300 km east-southeast of Puducherry, 310 km southeast of Chennai, 440 km southeast of Nellore, 550 km south-southeast of Bapatla and 550 km southsoutheast of Machilipatnam, the weather agency said. It is likely to continue to move northwestwards, intensify further and reach the westcentral Bay Of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts by December 4 forenoon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was in constant touch with the governments of states on the eastern coast bracing for Cyclone Michaung to coordinate relief and rescue efforts.

Modi also urged BJP workers in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh to join the relief and rescue efforts and support the local administration.

“Cyclone Michaung can impact the eastern coastal regions. The central government is in constant touch with the state governments and helping them,” Modi said while addressing the victory celebrations at the BJP headquarters.

“I urge BJP workers in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Odisha and especially Andhra Pradesh, the state government may be of any party, to join the relief and rescue efforts, and support the local administration,” the prime minister said.

He said he could not keep track of the election results as he was busy monitoring the cyclone situation on the country’s eastern coast.

Earlier, Modi had spoken to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to take stock of the preparations to handle Cyclone Michaung and assured him of all help, officials said.

The prime minister also directed top officials to ensure that help is extended to the state. With agency inputs