Hyderabad, Nov 27

Cyclonic storm Lehar is heading to cross Andhra Pradesh coast Thursday but its intensity will come down at the time of the landfall, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Wednesday.

The 'very severe' cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal will hit the coast near Machilipatnam in Krishna district Thursday afternoon but the wind speed will be 80-90 km per hour gusting to 100 kmph against the 200 kmph forecast earlier.

However, the authorities in five of the nine coastal districts remained on alert. They have evacuated over 26,000 people from vulnerable areas in view of the cyclone alert issued by the IMD.

The cyclone changed the course and it will now cross the coast near Machilipatnam instead of Kakinada in East Goadavari district.

According to an IMD bulletin Wednesday evening, Lehar is centered about 520 km east-southeast of Machillipatnam and 470 km southeast of Kakinada.

"It would move west-northwestwards, weaken gradually and cross Andhra Pradesh coast near Machillipatnam as a cyclonic storm around 28th November afternoon," said the bulletin.

The IMD has forecast wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph along and off coastal districts of Guntur, Krishna, West Godavari, East Godavari and Vishakhapatnam and Yanam district of Puducherry (geographically a part of Andhra) at the time of landfall.

C. Parthasarathi, commissioner, disaster management, told reporters Wednesday evening that the cyclone would weaken at the coast due to three reasons. 

Quoting meteorologists, he said the wind speed would come down due to low temperature of the water at the coast, wind shear at the coast and also the winds blowing from central India.

The official said the wind speed of Lehar would be the same as that of Helen, which crossed Machilipatnam coast Friday. 

The cyclone caused minimal damage in terms of loss of lives. Six people were killed and crops over four lakh hectares were damaged.

The officials had earlier warned that Lehar's intensity could be more than that of 1996 cyclone that killed hundreds of people and caused widespread destruction in Konaseema region of East Godavari district.

Cyclone Phailin, which crossed Odisha-Andhra coast last month, had caused some damage in Srikakulam district. However, the subsequent heavy rains killed 58 people and damaged crops over 13 lakh hectares in 10 districts.

The IMD has forecast rainfall at many places from Wednesday evening and heavy to very heavy falls at a few places over coastal Andhra Pradesh Thursday. Heavy rains were also forecast in Telangana Thursday and Friday.

Parthasarathi said over 700 habitations in 61 'mandals' of Krishna, Guntur, East Godavari and West Godavari districts were identified as vulnerable and officials began evacuation of people.

The government has requisitioned six columns of the army for rescue and relief operations. 

Three of them would be deployed in Krishna district. Two helicopters were already positioned while two others were ready at Hakimpet at Hyderabad for rescue and relief operations.

As the cyclone changed its course from Kakinada to Machilipatnam, the officials have also changed the deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, sending more teams to Krishna and Guntur districts.

By:IANS