After ’Phailin’, ’Helen’, Andhra braces up for cyclone ’Lehar’

After being hit by cyclones ’Phailin’ and ’Helen’, Andhra Pradesh is likely to be at the receiving end of another cyclone, ’Lehar’, by November 28. ’Lehar’ lay centred at 1130 hours today, about 230 km east-southeast of Port Blair over the Andaman Sea and is expected to cross Andaman and Nicobar Islands tonight. It would then emerge in South Eastern Bay of Bengal and intensify further gradually into a very severe cyclonic storm. It would move west-northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machillipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada around November 28 noon, AP Disaster Management Commissioner C Parthasarathi told reporters here this evening, quoting India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports.

He said farmers, fishermen and others should be geared up to face the severe cyclonic storm, since four days’ time is still available for preparation. Cyclone Helen, which crossed the AP coast near Machilipatnam last Friday, left a trail of destruction with crops like paddy and black gram suffering damages in 4.6 lakh hectares in five coastal districts as per preliminary estimates. About 8,700 hectares of horticulture crops like coconut, banana and vegetables have also been damaged in three coastal districts. Six persons were killed in various rain-related incidents due to the cyclone, he said, while as many as 1,313 houses sustained damages along with civic infrastructure like roads and electricity network.

Power supply is expected to be restored in 200 villages in East Godawar and West Godavari districts by this evening, he said. Estimated losses as per preliminary estimates was to the tune of Rs 1628.66 crore, with the break-up being – East Godavari district (Rs 1,018 crore), West Godavari district (Rs 500.41 crores) and Krishna district (Rs 110.25 crore), the commissioner said. Cyclone Phailin, which hit the state last month, also caused extensive damages in the state.