Andhra: 10,000 people evacuated

With the deep depression setting in the Bay of Bengal off south Andhra and north Tamil Nadu coast likely to cross the coast between Bapatla and Kakinada late on Sunday night, the state administration has begun evacuating people from the low-lying areas in the coastal districts.

Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, who is on a tour of Krishna district, instructed the collectors and other officials to immediately evacuate people from low lying areas in Prakasam, East Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Nellore, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts.

He asked them to rush enough relief materials, particularly food, to the affected areas.

Already, 10,000 people have been evacuated to safer places and nine relief camps have been opened in Prakasam district. Relief activities taken up in the affected areas include supply of food packets, drinking water, etc. Medical camps are being organised in the affected areas.

Minister for Revenue and Rehabilitation Dharmana Prasada Rao along with the Commissioner, disaster management cell, held an emergency meeting and reviewed the situation. The district collectors and other district officials have been instructed to be alert and take all precautionary measures.

The depression, formed over South West Bay of Bengal, lay centred near latitude 14.5 degrees and longitude 80.5 degrees East about 50 kms east of Nellore in South Coastal Andhra. The system is moving northward along the coast. It is likely to continue to move in a northerly direction and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Kakinada by late Sunday night.  

Under its influence, widespread rainfall with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places is likely over north Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 24 hours. The state of sea is likely to be very rough off Andhra Pradesh and North Tamil Nadu coasts.

Fishermen in these areas are advised not to venture into the sea.