Jawad intensifies into Cyclonic Storm; to make landfall on the coast near Puri in Odisha around Sunday noon

 The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Friday said that the Deep Depression over west-central Bay of Bengal is likely to move north-westwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 6 hours. As per the weather department, Cyclone Jawad is likely to reach north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast by tomorrow morning and make landfall on the coast near Puri in Odisha around noon on December 5 (Sunday).

“It is likely to recur north, north-eastwards and move along Odisha coast during subsequent 24 hours with maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph. Trees and electric poles are very likely to get uprooted. Light to moderate rain or thundershowers likely to occur at most places of north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Fishermen are advised not to venture in sea as gale wind speed of 90-100 kmph is likely to occur over Bay of Bengal. Farmers are requested to safeguard their crops. People in low-lying areas should stay in safer places. Due to gale wind, people should stay in safer places as landslides are likely to occur,” IMD Amaravati director Stella Samuel said.

The IMD had earlier stated in a bulletin issued at 12 noon that the Deep Depression had moved north-northwestwards over the past 6 hours with a speed of 30 kmph and lay centered at 8:30 am over westcentral of Bengal. As of 8:30 am, the storm was some 480 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 600 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 700 km south-southwest of Paradip (Odisha).

The IMD has forecast that Cyclone Jawad will likely reach west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coasts by Saturday morning.

“Thereafter, it is likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move along Odisha coast during the subsequent 24 hours with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph,” the IMD bulletin stated.

IMD Director-General Mrityunjay Mahapatra said Cyclone Jawad may reach Vishakhapatnam by tomorrow evening and could cause damage to electric and telephonic lines.

“Due to heavy rainfall, electric and telephonic lines can be disrupted. Cyclone alerts are announced in the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh. The cyclonic storm is likely to reach Vishakhapatnam by the evening tomorrow. Later, the cyclone will move towards Odisha and heavy rainfall will be observed in all coastal regions. Rainfall intensity is likely to increase on December 4. Wind speed is expected to be 50-55km/hr and will increase gradually gusting to 100km/hr,” Mahapatra said.

1. Director General Atul Karwal informed the press today that a total of 64 NDRF teams have been earmarked to tackle the situaton arising out of the impending Cyclone Jawad. Of these, a total of 46 NDRF teams have been sent to Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh and are prepositioned there. ‘IDS is on alert if the situation arises to airlift any of the teams. 18 more teams are on standby,” Karwal said.
2. The East Coast Railway has cancelled a total of 65 trains in view of the Cyclone. “Around 65 ongoing trains were cancelled from the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh for December 3 and 4, in the wake of Cyclone Jawad,” said Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Waltair Division of East Coast Railway, AK Tripathi.
3. In Andhra Pradesh, all schools across Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts have been ordered shut from Thursday noon till Friday, in view of the approaching Cyclone, said Visakhapatnam District Collector Mallikarjuna.
4. The Odisha government has also issued guidelines in view of the approaching Cyclone. The state government is planning to deploy 266 teams including those from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Fire Services and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF). The teams will be deployed in coastal districts, said Pradeep Kumar Jena, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC).
5. As the Cyclone moved towards the east coast of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday chaired a high-level meeting and reviewed the preparedness.
6. The IMD had earlier stated that the Cyclone is expected to bring heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.