)
The very severe cyclonic storm, Phailin over west, central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards during past six hours with a speed of 15 kmph and lay centred at 0830 hrs IST today about 200 km southeast of Gopalpur and 280 km southeast of Paradip.
It would move northwestwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Paradip, close to Gopalpur (Odisha) by evening today as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 210-220 kmph gusting to 240 kmph.
Forecast: Rain/Thundershower would occur at most places over Odisha during next 48 hours.
Heavy R/F Warning: Heavy to very heavy falls at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls (≥ 25cm) would occur over districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Bhadrak and Kendrapara in Coastal Odisha during next 48 hours and districts of interior Odisha from today afternoon for subsequent 48 hours.
Advice for hoisting Storm Warning Signals:
Great Danger Signal Number Ten (GD-X) for Gopalpur and Puri Ports and Great Danger Signal Number Nine (GD-IX) for Paradip and Chandbali Ports kept hoisted.
Likely impact and action: Squally winds speed reaching 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph would prevail along and off Odisha coast during next 06 hours. It would increase in intensity with gale wind speed reaching 100-150 kmph from noon and 210-220 kmph gusting to 240 kmph along and off districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Bhadrak and Kendrapara of Coastal Odisha at the time of landfall.
State of Sea along and off Odisha coast will be high and became gradually phenomenal from today afternoon. Storm surge with height of 3.0 to 3.5 mt above astronomical tide would inundate low lying areas of Ganjam, Khurda, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts of Odisha during landfall.
Damage expected over Odisha: Extensive damage to kutcha houses. Some damage to old buildings. Large scale disruption of power and communication lines. Disruption of rail and road traffic due to extensive flooding. Potential threat from flying debris. Flooding of escape routes. Extensive damage to agricultural crops.
Action Suggested: Total suspension of fishing operations. Large scale evacuation of population from coastal areas. Total suspension of rail and road traffic in vulnerable areas. People in affected areas to remain indoors.
Fishermen Warning: Fishermen are advised not to venture into sea. Total suspension of fishing operations.
Post landfall outlook: Even after landfall, the system is likely to maintain the intensity of very severe cyclonic storm for six hours and gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm in subsequent six hours while moving northwestwards across interior Odisha. Under its influence rainfall at most places with heavy falls at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places would occur over Odisha.
EARLIER UPDATE
* Phailin centred at about 260 km southeast of Gopalpur and 310 km south-southeast of Paradip at 0530 hours today.
* It would move northwestwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Paradip, close to Gopalpur (Odisha) by evening of today as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 210-220 kilometers per hour (kmph) gusting to 240 kmph.
* Rain/thundershowers likely in most places in Odisha.
* Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls (≥ 25cm) would occur over districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Bhadrak and Kendrapara in Coastal Odisha during next 48 hours.
* Heavy rainfall is also predicted in districts of interior Odisha from tonight for subsequent 48 hours.
* Met department asks to hoist Great Danger Signal Number Ten (GD-X) for Gopalpur and Puri ports and Great Danger Signal Number Nine (GD-IX) for Paradip and Chandbali Ports.
* State of sea along and off Odisha coast will be high and became gradually phenomenal from forenoon of today.
* Storm surge with height of 3.0 to 3.5 mt above astronomical tide would inundate low lying areas of Ganjam, Khurda, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts of Odisha during landfall.
11: 30 Television update
More than 300,000 people have been evacuated from various parts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on fears that the coastal areas of these two states would bear the brunt of the Phailin cyclone's fury. The storm is likely to hit the two states in about six hours from the time of filing this report. The cyclone is about 200 km from the coastline.
According to television reports, winds of 210-220 km per hours, and going up to 240 km, are likely to wreak havoc on the two states. Sea water is likely to inundate up to 600 meters of coastal land in Gopalpur, Odisha, which will take the full force of the storm.
Heavy rains have already begun to lash Bhubaneshwar, and moderate rains are expected even as far as the Gangetic plain in West Bengal. About 25 cm of rain are expected in several parts of Odisha, in this storm, which is likely to last up to 6 hours. Heavy rains are also expected as far away as Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
