Cyclone Gulab: One fisherman killed in Andhra, storm weakens into a deep depression

A fisherman from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh was killed and one left injured as the cyclonic storm Gulab crossed the Bay of Bengal coast off Kalingapatnam on Sunday, September 26 evening. Three more fishermen reached the shore safely and called state Fisheries Minister S Appala Raju over phone from Akkupalli village and told him they were safe.

 

Six fishermen from Palasa, who were returning to their native village by sea in a new boat they purchased in Odisha two days ago, were caught in the storm. One of the six called his village over phone and informed that their boat lost balance and five of his fellow fishermen were lost in the sea. Subsequently, his mobile phone too went silent, indicating that he too might have gone missing.

 

According to reports, five fishermen, however, returned to shore safely. One fisherman, who was assumed dead, however, returned to shore injured, with his leg cut. He managed to reach the shore and contact the Fisheries Minister, who arranged an ambulance for the injured to be shifted to the hospital in Palasa. 

 

Cyclone Gulab made landfall in northern coastal Andhra near the Kalingapatnam coast in Srikakulam district. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Cyclone Gulab crossed the coast about 20 km north of Kalingapatnam as a cyclonic storm. "The system centre crossed the coastline during 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., whereas the landfall process of the whole storm centre crossed the coastline as well as continued for a few hours after that. The landfall process completed after 10.30 p.m.,” IMD said in its midnight bulletin.

 

In a tweet at 4.15 a.m. on Monday, September 27, IMD said that Cyclone Gulab had weakened into a Deep Depression at 2.30 a.m over north Andhra Pradesh. “It is likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and weaken further into a Depression during next 06 hrs,” stated IMD.

 

On Monday, September 27, light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cms) at isolated places is very likely over south Chhattisgarh; heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Odisha, Telangana and Vidarbha and heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal West Bengal and north Chhattisgarh, the IMD said.

 

Three north coastal districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam had been receiving moderate to heavy rain under the influence of Gulab. Srikakulam, which has been in the eye of the storm, received incessant downpour with heavy wind. District Collector L Srikesh Balaji Rao said 61 relief camps have been opened in 13 mandals where close to 1,400 people have been lodged.

 

Power supply remained cut at many places in Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts.

The Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited authorities reviewed the situation and deployed men and material in the affected mandals for emergency repair works.

 

Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue) Dharmana Krishna Das toured several rain-battered villages to take stock of the situation and supervise relief works. Vizianagaram district received heavy rain ranging up to 6 cm under the influence of the cyclone.

 

AP State Disaster Management Authority Commissioner K Kanna Babu reviewed the situation with the district Collectors and other officials in Visakhapatnam and directed them to be on high alert.He said NDRF and SDRF teams have been positioned in the three north coastal districts for rescue and relief operations. Meanwhile, the South Central Railway informed in a release that eight trains on the Vijayawada-Howrah route were diverted via Kharagpur, Jharsuguda, Bilaspur and Balharshah.Two other trains that were supposed to begin journey on Sunday, have been rescheduled for Monday.

 

(With PTI and IANS inputs)