Vijayawada: AP chief secretary Dr. K.S. Jawahar Reddy on Friday asserted that Andhra Pradesh government machinery is fully prepared to deal with the cyclonic storm brewing in Bay of Bengal, which is expected to hit the coast between Chennai and Machilipatnam on Monday, December 4, with the wind speed around 100 km per hour.
The CS participated in a video conference with union cabinet secretary Rajeev Gauba and chief secretaries of Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry that are in the line of cyclone in addition to AP.
Rajeev Gauba assured chief secretary of the four states that NDRF, Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, telecom and other central government agencies are ready to coordinate with the respective state governments in minimising loss to life and property due to the cyclone.
Jawahar Reddy said control rooms have been set up in Andhra Pradesh at state and district levels to deal with heavy to very heavy rains that are likely over southern coastal Andhra districts and moderate to heavy rains in rest of the coastal districts.
Fishermen have already been warned not to venture into the sea for fishing from Saturday morning. Those already in the sea have been asked to rush to the nearest coast for safety.
The state has stationed two NDRF and six SDRF teams to deal effectively with the aftermath of cyclone. Civil supplies department has kept ready various essential commodities to help people who may be displaced.
Irrigation, R&B and panchayat raj departments have been asked to take special preventive measures to strengthen weak river and stream embankments, bridges and culverts.
AP chief secretary said officials of protected water supply, electricity, telecom, municipal, medical and departments have also been asked to be ready effectively deal with any situation arising due to the impact of the storm.
AP DGP K.V. Rajendranath Reddy, special chief secretary (Revenue) and CCLA G. Sai Prasad, additional DG (Law and Order) S. Bagchi and SEB director Ravi Prakash also participated in this video meeting with the union cabinet secretary.
As of Friday morning, Indukurpeta in SPS Nellore district has registered 76.2 mm of rainfall, followed by Nellore Urban 66.4 mm, Kovvur 60 mm, Nellore Rural 57.8 mm, Podalakur 46.8 mm, Dagadarthi 46.4 mm and Thotapalli Gundur 42.8 mm.
