Vardah likely to cross close to Nellore

VISAKHAPATNAM: Though weathermen at India Meteorological Department (IMD) have officially declared that cyclone Vardah will make landfall anywhere between

Kakinada

and

Nellore

coasts on December 12, met experts are of the opinion that the cyclonic storm will make landfall between north Nellore and south Machilipatnam.

The cyclone will arrive as a severe cyclonic storm, but cross land as a cyclonic storm or deep depression.

IMD records reveal that

Vardah

will be the 91st cyclone to make landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast since 1891. The last cyclone that made landfall in AP was Hudhud which wreaked havoc in the Port City on October 12, 2014.

On Thursday, cyclone Vardah moved slowly at the speed of 4 kmph northwards and is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Friday. "Slow movement of a cyclone clearly indicates that it is gaining strength," said a senior meteorological officer from Cyclone Warning Centre (CWC), Visakhapatnam.

IMD director (forecast)

K Nagarathnam

told TOI that Vardah will surely intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, but there is a possibility of it weakening into a cyclone or deep depression before landfall. “90% of the cyclones make landfall in south coastal districts like Krishna and Nellore and only 10% of them make landfall in north coastal districts like Srikakulam,” Nagarathnam added.

As on Thursday, the IMD located the cyclone about 1,000 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, and 1,100 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea from December 10. "Rainfall and wind activity will start in coastal AP from December 11," the IMD director said.


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