Cyclone Michaung weakens into a depression, to transform into well marked low pressure in six hours

The severe cyclonic storm Michaung, which crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast close to Bapatla on Tuesday and subsequently weakened into a cyclonic storm, left a trail of destruction in its wake.

Depression(Remnant of CS MICHAUNG) over NE Telangana adj S Chhattisgarh, S Interior Odisha, Coastal AP moved north northeastwards in past 06 hrs and weakened to Well Marked Low Pressure Area at 830 hrs of 6 Dec. Likely to weaken into Low Pressure Area in next 12 hrs. pic.twitter.com/385ZaI8WMo

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 6, 2023

Related: Cyclone Michaung in Andhra Pradesh: Landfall expected near Bapatla

Weather for the next 12 hours

The Meteorological Department, meanwhile, noted that Michaung weakened into a cyclonic storm and lay centred over south coastal Andhra Pradesh near 16 degrees north (latitude) and 80.3 degrees east (longitude).

Gales gusting up to speeds of 110 kmph are expected to prevail over the west-central Bay of Bengal around the weather system for the next six hours and then gradually subside.

Along the north Andhra Pradesh coast, squally winds reaching speeds of 60 kmph and gusting up to 65 kmph are likely to prevail over the next 12 hours and gradually decrease thereafter.

For Wednesday, the Met has forecast heavy rainfall— 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm— for Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Konaseema and Eluru districts.

The weather system is about 50 km east to northeast of Khammam, 110 km north to northeast of Gannavaram and 250 km south of Jagdalpur.

Under the influence of the depression, the Meteorological Department forecast heavy rainfall, 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm, for the districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Konaseema and Eluru.

Meanwhile, several parts of the state continue to be cloudy.

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Damage in Andhra Pradesh

The storm damaged 770-kilometre roads, uprooted 35 trees and killed three livestock, among others.

According to data shared by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), nearly 40 lakh people from 194 villages and two towns were affected by Michaung’s impact, including the inundation of 25 villages.

Though there was no loss of human life on Tuesday, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority Director BR Ambedkar told PTI that a four-year-old boy died after a hut wall collapsed on him in Tirupati district on Monday.

While another person died in Bapatla district, Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal told PTI that the cause of death was not related to the cyclone.

“The lone deceased person was found in a drunken state on a road by his motorcycle, which was not submerged under water, in the Inkollu village,” Jindal said.

Across the state, 204 relief camps are accommodating 15,173 evacuees. As part of relief efforts, 18,073 food packets and more than 1 lakh water packets were distributed. Eighty health camps were also organised.

For the affected districts, the state government has sanctioned ₹23 crore for relief efforts.

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Other damages

The damaged structures include 78 huts and a cattle shed while 232 houses were marooned. Two kuccha houses were fully damaged.

Under the roads and buildings department, 770 kilometres of surface roads suffered damage in the districts of Konaseema (234 kilometres), Prakasam (55 kilometres), Nellore (433 kilometres) and Tirupati (48 kilometres).

Nellore also witnessed the highest number of trees being uprooted with 29 out of the total 35.

Under the municipal administration department, 376 streetlights and 7.5 kilometres of roads were damaged.

Fourteen minor irrigation sources were also damaged in Tirupati.

The Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Ltd suffered damage to 13 33-KV feeders, 312 11-KV feeders, 29 33/11-KV sub-feeders, nine 33-KV poles, 140 11-KV poles and 244-LT poles.

Under the influence of the severe cyclonic storm, 10 places — seven in Tirupati and three in Nellore — experienced more than 200 mm rainfall on Tuesday.

Manubolu in the Nellore district recorded 366.5 mm of rainfall.

Six State Disaster Response Force and an equal number of National Disaster Response Force teams were pressed into service on Tuesday.

With the rainwater receding, the state government has decided to enumerate agriculture and horticulture damage, the CMO said.

(With PTI inputs)