Nellore: Though the cyclonic storm Kyant weakened into deep depression, district officials have not scaled down the high alert given to the field level officials in a bid to make use of the opportunity as a drill. The district is prone to cyclones especially in the month of November almost every year.
There are 12 coastal mandals and more than one lakh people living in 126 habitations in these mandals will be affected in case if the cyclone hits the coast in Nellore district.
In this backdrop, field level officials have been asked to stay put in their respective headquarters and the district collector has conducted tele-conference with the tehsildars and mandal level officials to ensure arrangements to shift the people to safer places in case of floods.
The 12 vulnerable mandals have been divided into three sectors and joint collector A. Mohammd Imtiaz has been asked to monitor four mandals, additional joint collector Rajkumar another four mandals and collector R. Muthyala Raju himself will keep a tab on the balance four mandals and all of them decided to make a personal visit to their respective areas.
Sharing the information with this newspaper, Mr Muthyala Raju said people can contact the control room at their landline number 0861-2331261 functioning at the collectorate for any information or assistance in case of cyclone.
He said that they have taken measures to prevent such a situation with measures to control water supply into Nellore tank and desilting of canals passing through Nellore city.
He added that measures are on to shift the people living on the canal bunds.
Referring to the latest weather report he received from Indian Space Research Organisation's facility at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the collector said cyclone system is likely to track southward with weakening on Thursday night. As a result, moderate rainfall is likely to occur over north coastal AP during next 24 hours. Moderate rainfall to isolated heavy rainfall is likely to occur in south costal district of AP from October 28 to 30.
Meanwhile local weather department officials said the system is converted as depression and moving towards south. They have expressed doubts over any rainfall in the district.
