Bhubaneswar: The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ and is likely to cross the South Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam during the forenoon of December 5 with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, the IMD said in a bulletin.
The system could result in heavy rains in most parts of southern Odisha and coastal region of the state, it said. The name Michaung (pronounced as migjaum) was suggested by Myanmar and it means strength or resilience.
The system which moved northwestwards with a speed of 5 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm lay centered at 5.30 am about 300 km east-southeast of Puducherry, 310 km southeast of Chennai, 440 km southeast of Nellore, 550 km south-southeast of Bapatla and 550 km southsoutheast of Machilipatnam, the weather agency said.
PM Modi takes stock of preparations to handle Cyclone
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was in constant touch with the governments of states on the eastern coast bracing for Cyclone Michaung to coordinate relief and rescue efforts.
Modi also urged BJP workers in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh to join the relief and rescue efforts and support the local administration. “Cyclone Michaung can impact the eastern coastal regions.
The central government is in constant touch with the state governments and helping them,” Modi said while addressing the victory celebrations at the BJP headquarters.
PTI