A cyclone is approaching the northern coast, with a chance of crossing the shore by night!

Visakhapatnam, September 23: The severe depression in the Bay of Bengal is moving rapidly towards the northern coast of Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), it is likely to cross the coast near Kalingapatnam between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur on the night of September 23.

The official advisories are as follows: Coastal residents are advised not to go outside unless absolutely necessary. Stay away from trees, electric poles, hoardings, and weak structures. Travel on coastal roads and unpaved roads should be avoided as much as possible. Do not stay outside during thunderstorms. Mobile phones and power banks should be charged in advance for power outages, and drinking water and necessary medicines should be kept ready.

Special instructions for farmers: Drains and water channels should be cleaned immediately to prevent water stagnation in the fields. Motors, pipes, rain guns, and other agricultural equipment should be moved to safe elevated locations. Support should be provided to horticultural crops like banana and papaya with sticks to prevent them from falling due to winds. Caution should be exercised to avoid going into the fields during heavy rainfall.

A strict warning for fishermen: It has been officially advised not to venture into the sea along the northern Andhra and southern Odisha coasts until September 24. Boats already at sea should reach safe areas immediately. Local cautionary signal–III (LC-III) continues at Kalingapatnam, Bhimunipatnam, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, and Kakinada ports. Authorities are urging people to strictly follow the instructions of local officials and the latest warnings from the IMD. Consequently, alertness has been increased in the coastal areas of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam.

With winds and heavy rains, a big alert is in place: The IMD coastal bulletin indicates that winds of about 46–56 km/h are expected along the northern Andhra coast, with gusts reaching up to 74 km/h. The sea is likely to change from rough to very rough. The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall on September 23 and very heavy rainfall on September 24, along with strong surface winds in coastal Andhra.