Heavy rains as Cyclone Gulab makes landfall in India

Thousands evacuated to storm shelters within the coastal areas of southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh.

A cyclone packing sturdy winds and rains has barrelled into India’s east coast, as tens of hundreds of individuals in three states have been evacuated to shelters.

Heavy rains and powerful winds have been reported alongside the coast on Sunday night because the tropical storm over the Bay of Bengal started making landfall, barely 4 months after one other cyclone hit the area, leaving destruction in its wake.

Cloud bands had touched the coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh indicating Cyclone Gulab had begun to make landfall, the India Meteorological Department tweeted.

The storm with wind speeds as much as 95km/h (59mph) was anticipated to cross the coasts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states by midnight (19:30 GMT).

the cloud bands have touched coastal areas and thus the landfall course of has commenced over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south coastal Odisha. System will cross coasts between Kalingapatnam & Gopalpur, about 25 km to north of Kalingapatnam throughout subsequent 3 hours.

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 26, 2021

The climate workplace stated very heavy rainfall was anticipated.

Thousands of individuals have been moved to storm shelters within the coastal areas of southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh, officers stated. Others have been suggested to keep away from rivers and canals and keep at house.

“People have been asked to stay alert, as the high-speed winds can uproot electricity poles, trees, hoardings and the rains can cause sudden overflows in canals and streams,” Andhra Pradesh official G Srijana stated.

Odisha Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena stated seven districts within the state have been on excessive alert and evacuation efforts have been underneath approach.

In Andhra Pradesh, some 85,000 households have been anticipated to be moved from low-lying areas to short-term reduction shelters.

Rescue groups of catastrophe reduction operations personnel had been deployed throughout the complete area, National Disaster Response Force chief Satya Pradhan stated.

In May, greater than 1,000,000 individuals have been evacuated from their houses alongside India’s east coast earlier than it was battered by Cyclone Yaas with winds gusting as much as 155km/h (96mph) – equal to a class two hurricane.

At least 20 individuals have been killed and tens of hundreds have been displaced within the storm, which brought on widespread injury value greater than $2bn in Odisha and West Bengal states and in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Cyclones typically kind over the Bay of Bengal between April and November, bringing widespread destruction and flooding to Indian coastal areas.

In Andhra Pradesh, some 85,000 households have been anticipated to be moved from low-lying areas to short-term reduction shelters [National Disaster Response/AP]