Heavy rain is likely to hit north Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (Representational)
The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours, the Regional Meteorological Centre said.
The storm is likely to further develop into a severe cyclonic storm in the subsequent 24 hours and may hit Andhra Pradesh on Monday. As the depression develops into a cyclonic storm , it will be named Phethai.
Heavy rain is likely to hit north Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in the next 24 hours.
Moderate rains along with isolated heavy showers may occur over many places of Odisha, Skymet news agency reported. Districts like Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada and Kalahandi are expected to be lashed by heavy rain on Sunday.
Deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past 6 hours. The depression now lay centred at 430 km east-northeast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, 670 km east-southeast of Chennai and 870 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
The India Meteorological Department reported the cyclone is very likely to move to Andhra Pradesh coast between Ongole and Kakinada and make landfall Monday afternoon.
14 districts have been put on high alert in Andhra Pradesh. Evacuation has already begun from old houses and low lying areas as precautionary measures and control rooms have been set up as well. Fishermen have also been asked to not venture out into the sea which has been hit by rough conditions. Various helpline numbers have also been set up across Andhra Pradesh.
Two teams of SDRF and two of NDRF have been deployed in these districts with all necessary equipment for evacuation and rescue operations. 50 relief camps have been opened in eight coastal mandals and four IAS officers stationed at Amalapuram to monitor the situation and take appropriate action.
East Godavari District Collector declared a two-day holiday for all schools in eight coastal mandals in view of the cyclone threat.