IMD Forecasts Heavy Rains for North Andhra
Heavy rainfall is forecast for Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, and Eluru districts
Visakhapatnam: The well-marked low-pressure area over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Monday evening. The system lay centred over northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal and along north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coasts, about 40 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 110 km northeast of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression is likely to move northwestwards and cross the south Odisha–north Andhra Pradesh coast close to Gopalpur on Tuesday afternoon (August 19). Heavy rainfall is forecast for Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, and Eluru districts.
In the past 24 hours, moderate to heavy rainfall lashed several north coastal Andhra towns, leading to waterlogging and traffic disruptions in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Paderu and Araku Valley.
Paderu (ASR district) recorded 16 cm rainfall, the highest in the state, followed by 14 cm in Chodavaram (Anakapalle), 13 cm each in Bheemili (Visakhapatnam) and Vepada (Vizianagaram), 12 cm in Anakapalle, and 11 cm each in Narsipatnam and Visakhapatnam Airport locality. Visakhapatnam city itself received 10 cm.
The Nagavali river in Srikakulam, which had nearly dried up, received heavy inflows along with several other rivers and rivulets in north Andhra and the Andhra–Odisha border region. On Monday, Maredumilli (ASR district), Nandigam, Santhabommali, Gollaseetharampuram and Chintada (Srikakulam district) also reported heavy rainfall. Visakhapatnam city recorded around 4 cm rainfall.