Visakhapatnam/Vijayawada: Clouds were seen on the horizon of Andhra Pradesh under the influence depression formed over the southern Bay of Bengal on Monday. The tropical system is expected to intensify into a cyclone and make landfall on Wednesday afternoon between Karaikal and Mallapuram in Tamil Nadu.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange warning to AP. The projected path as per the GFS model of the IMD takes the cyclone just south of Chennai, but the European model ECMWF takes Cyclone Nivar right over Chennai with an expected landfall at around Wednesday midnight
Peripheral clouds due to depression are seen over Andhra and Telangana state.
Post-landfall of the system, isolated places in Rayalaseema may receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. North coastal Andhra Pradesh may receive scattered rainfall.
The depression layover southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal about 600 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 630 kms south-southeast of Chennai. Commissioner, Health, Katamaneni Bhaskar instructed district authorities to prepare an action plan for the pre and post cyclone period.
All medical teams consisting of a medical officer, one staff nurse and an MPHA (multipurpose health assistant) are needed to be available at the identified relief centres round-the-clock. He suggested sufficient quantities of necessary drugs at their disposal and use of disinfectants during the period. Any requirement of epidemic drugs may be indented immediately.
Commissioner of Health Bhaskar asked staff to keep working generators and inverters ready at all health institutions including primary health centres in affected areas and ensure uninterrupted power supply. He asked for keeping two ambulances at all PHCs in affected areas.
The commissioner asked for taking up rescue operations in case of affected people with physical and mental trauma and laid stress on identifying vendors for supply of drinking water and milk.
He asked for shifting pregnant women with due date within a week to be shifted to the nearby health facilities besides taking care of children under five years of age and aged persons. He asked for shifting vaccines with cold chain management as per requirement besides planning for conduct of health camps in affected areas.
