Amaravati: Cyclone Phethai, a severe cyclonic storm, is likely to make landfall across the Andhra Pradesh coast Kakinada on Monday afternoon, with high winds and rainfall.
The Indian Meteorological Department said, “It is moving towards East Godavari district at a speed of 16 km per hour and will cross Pethai with a speed of 100 to 110 km per hour.
Over the night, however, it has weakened slightly due to un unfavourable environmental conditions.
“Yesterday’s severe cyclonic storm weakened slightly in its speed, however, it remains severely cyclonic. It’s about 160 km southeast of Machilipatnam and 190 km south of Kakinada, likely to move in the northerly direction and cross Kakinada by this afternoon,” confirmed an official at Cyclone warning centre, Visakhapatnam,
In the view of the rainfall due to the cyclone, The Indian Railways has cancelled 22 passenger trains, rescheduled and partially cancelled one train each.
The state government, in its advisory, has asked people not to come out of the houses until the storm crosses the coast.
It further asked residents of huts and petals to move to rehabilitation centres immediately and people in the lowland to immediately move to safe places.
Banana farmers and horticulture farmers are advised to be careful and have been advised to cover the grain with tarpaulin to avoid damages.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]