A deep depression expected to turn into "a very severe cyclonic storm" over Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, today crossed the North Andaman Islands and lay centred over the east central Bay of Bengal, 950 km southeast of Paradip, the latest IMD bulletin said.
The deep depression with a wind speed is 78 km per hour hit the Andaman Islands near uninhabited Landfall Island at around 5:00 pm causing very heavy rainfall, a report from Port Blair said.
It would intensify into a cyclonic storm in next 12 hours and and cross north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast between Kalingapatnam and Paradip by October 12 night as "a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 175-185 kmph," the bulletin said.
The Odisha government issued a high alert and cancelled the Dusshera holidays of employees in 14 districts with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asking collectors to ensure the safety of the people.
The alert was issued to Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati districts.
It was decided to deploy Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams in the 14 districts from October 10, Revenue minister Surya Narayan Patro said and directed that a mock drill by ODRAF and fire personnel be held.
