Coastal Andhra Pradesh faces a potential spell of heavy rain and gusty winds after the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority warned that an upper-air circulation over the North Andaman could develop into another depression in the Bay of Bengal.
The SDMA said heavy rain is likely in the coastal Andhra region under the system’s influence. Winds of 40-50 km per hour are also expected, prompting authorities to alert residents in low-lying areas and advise fishermen to return to shore.
According to officials, the weather system is likely to move in a west-north-west direction. It could strengthen into a depression in the Bay of Bengal on Monday and into a deep depression on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, the system is expected to continue moving west-north-west towards the South Odisha-North Andhra coast.
Officials said the system could strengthen over the north-western Bay of Bengal as it approaches the coast. The warning places coastal settlements, fishing activity and low-lying areas among the locations requiring immediate attention as the system develops.
The SDMA’s alert comes with precautionary advice for communities that are vulnerable to intense rain and strong winds. Residents in low-lying areas have been asked to take precautions, while fishermen have been advised not to remain at sea and to return to shore.
The expected movement towards the South Odisha-North Andhra coast also makes the system relevant to coastal infrastructure and local administration. Heavy rain can affect road access, drainage and movement in settlements that depend on low-lying transport routes, although the SDMA alert has not specified any closures or evacuation orders.
The authority has not announced a confirmed landfall location, rainfall totals or a final intensity for the system. Its warning is based on the projected development and movement of the upper-air circulation, which officials said could strengthen over the coming days.
Residents and fishing communities along the coastal Andhra region are expected to follow further advisories from disaster-management and local authorities as the system moves closer to the coast. The next key milestones identified by officials are its possible intensification on Monday and Tuesday and its expected approach towards the South Odisha-North Andhra coast on Wednesday morning.
