Bhubaneswar: Cyclone Phethai, which got more marked and intensified into a severe cyclonic storm on Sunday evening, is likely to make landfall over Andhra Pradesh coast around Kakinada by this noon.
Cyclone Phethai over west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwards in past 6 hours and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST today over west central Bay of Bengal, 320 km east-northeast of Chennai, 160 km southeast of Machilipatnam and 190 km south of Kakinada, said the : the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its latest bulletin.
“Cyclone Phethai very likely to move nearly northwards and cross Andhra coast around Kakinada during 17th December afternoon. However, due to unfavourable environmental conditions, it’s likely to weaken before landfall and cross the coast as cyclonic storm,” the IMD added.
Currently, cyclone Phethai is moving at a speed of 16 km per hour. However, the wind speed is expected to reach 80-90 km per hour at the time of landfall.
While high alert has been sounded in Andhra Pradesh, shallow fog and mist can be seen over parts of Bihar, Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal during morning hours.
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Ms Kalinga