The cyclonic storm ‘Roanu’ over west central Bay of Bengal remained practically stationary and lay centred about 80 km south southeast of Machilipatnam, about 290 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam and 160 km south-southwest of Kakinada.
The system is likely to move initially north-northeastwards along and off Andhra Pradesh coast during the next 12 hours, thereafter north eastwards. It is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by tonight, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Continuing to move north eastwards, the system is likely to cross south Bangladesh coast between Khepupara and Cox’s Bazaar on the night of May 21 early morning of May 22 as a cyclonic storm.
Heavy to very heavy rain at a few places with isolated extremely heavy rain is very likely to occur in the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore till Friday morning.
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely at isolated places in Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur and Kurnool districts of Rayalaseema.
Heavy to very heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari districts of north coastal AP.
The Cyclone Warning Centre (CWC), Visakhapatnam, has issued a warning to fishermen against venturing into the sea along and off AP coast during the next 48 hours. Gales with speed reaching 90 to 100 km/ph gusting at 110 km/ph are very likely to prevail and strong surface winds from a westerly direction with speed reaching 60 to 70 km/ph are also likely along and off south coastal AP.
The state of sea would be high to very high and very rough during the next 24 hours, a spokesperson for the CWC said.
The chief amounts of rainfall (in cm) during the last 24 hours (ending 8.30 a.m. on Thursday) are: Coastal A.P.: Amalapuram – 22, Kakinada – 17 (both East Godavari district), Anakapalle –13.6 (Visakhapatnam district), Bapatla – 13 (Guntur), Avanigadda – 12 (Krishna district), Atmakur – 11 (Nellore), Chodavaram 11 (Visakhapatnam district), Visakhapatnam – 10.6 and Narsapur (West Godavari) – 10. Rayalaseema: Palasamudram (Chittoor) – 6 and Kambadur (Anantapur) – 5.
The cyclonic storm ‘Roanu’ over west central Bay of Bengal remained practically stationary and lay centred about 240 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam and 110 km south-southwest of Kakinada (earlier it was 290 and 160 km away respectively).
Storm surge of about 0.5 to 1.0 metre is likely along north Andhra Pradesh Coast during the next 24 hours.
Local Warning Signal no.4 kept hoisted at Krishnapatnam, Nizampatnam, Vadarevu, Machilipatnam, Kakinada, Gangavaram, Visakhapatnam, Bheemunipatnam and Kalingapatnam Ports. There could be damage to thatched huts, minor damage to power and communication lines due to breaking of branches and damage to roads during the next 48 hours.
