State geared up to meet any eventuality as cyclone Fani-induced rains lash North Coastal Andhra 

Coastal areas are experiencing gusty winds and visitors are not allowed to beaches across the state till Machilipatnam in Krishna district.
Heavy waves lash Coastal Battery in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. (Photo | G Satyanarayana, EPS)
Heavy waves lash Coastal Battery in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. (Photo | G Satyanarayana, EPS)

VIJAYAWADA: Coastal areas of the three north Coastal Districts of Andhra Pradesh started received rains induced by extremely severe cyclone Fani even as the state government had put the administration of the three districts on an alert to face any eventuality. Coastal areas in the three districts are experiencing gusty winds and visitors are not allowed to beaches across the state till Machilipatnam in Krishna district.

In Srikakulam, mild to moderate rains started in several mandals since Thursday morning. With the intensity like to increase by evening, the district administration is taking elaborate measures particularly in coastal and riverside areas.

About 120 cyclone shelters are opened in the district to shift cyclone affected villagers depending on the situation, officials said. Special officers were deployed in about 15 coastal and riverside mandals.

Similarly, three IAS officers were also deployed as special officers for coastal mandals of Tekkali, Palasa and Polaki.

District administration had deployed 36 fire teams, 9 NDRF teams and 10 SDRF teams at various places.

Speaking to TNIE, Srikakulam district collector J Nivas said heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds are most likely to hit the district from Thursday midnight. He said essential commodities have already been made available at cyclone shelters.

Similarly, Visakhapatnam city started experiencing heavy rains and gusty winds from Thursday morning. Security at beaches across the district had been increased and visitors are not allowed into the waters. Areas near RK beach, Rushikonda, Bheemili, Mangamaripeta beaches are witnessing strong waves.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who had on Wednesday, asked the Election Commission of India to relax the Model Code of Conduct in four districts which are likely to hit by Cyclone Fani, took stock of the situation from State Secretariat in Amaravati.

Monitoring the situation through the Real-Time Governance Society, Naidu asked the district officials to deploy rescue teams at the villages that are likely to be affected by Cyclone Fani to take immediate rescue and relief measures. He wanted officials to make available vegetables and other essential commodities ready and also make arrangements for supplying water and milk to people.

Earlier, he spoke with his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik and shared the RTGS information with the latter. Naidu told his counterpart that Cyclone Fani would hit Odisha at 10 am on Friday and assured all possible held to the neighbouring state.

Meanwhile, the latest IMD bulletin (12.30 pm) said the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Fani moved further north-northeastwards with a speed of about 16 kmph in last six hours and lay centred over West-central Bay of Bengal about 360 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha) and 190 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

With the impact of Cyclone Fani, Srikakulam district is expected to be battered by extremely heavy rains.

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