The “very severe” cyclonic storm, Phailin over east central Bay of Bengal has moved further north westwards, threatening to lash the coast of Odisha and North Andhra on Saturday. It lay centred about 500 km south-southeast of Paradip, 490 km southeast of Gopalpur, and 500 km east southeast of Kalingapatnam.
The satellite images have shown that the cyclone, which is likely to make landfall on Saturday evening, covers an area roughly half the size of India. According to a bulletin released by India Meteorology Department (IMD) on Friday, the cyclone would move northwestwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast between Kalingapatnam and Paradip, close to Gopalpur (Odisha) by the evening of October 12. It is expected to be a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 210-220 kmph.
Squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph would prevail along the coastal Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coast during next 12 hours. Thereafter, it would increase in intensity with gale wind speed reaching 210-220 kph along and off coastal districts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha at the time of landfall.
The IMD sources have forecast a storm surge of height of about 2 metre to 2.5 metre above astronomical tide. This would inundate low lying areas of Ganjam, Khurda, Puri and Jagatsinghpur in Odisha.
The bulletin has predicted very heavy rainfall, under the influence of this system. Downpour along coastal Odisha and North Andhra would commence from the night of October 11. It would continue and extend to interior Odisha from night of October 12. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall would also occur over coastal areas of West Bengal from the night of October 12.
The state of sea along the coast of Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coast will be rough to very rough and will become gradually phenomenal on 12th October 2013. It will be rough to very rough along and off West Bengal coast during the above period. Around 600 cyclone shelters have been set up in Odisha alone which are being stocked up with food and medicines. The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force has also been deployed while the Armed forces have been kept on standby.