As some parts of Odisha experienced light to moderate rain, the IMD said the cyclone ‘Michaung’ over the Bay of Bengal is active and likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday. As the IMD issued a Yellow Warning (be updated) of 7 cm to 11 cm rainfall on Monday, five southern Odisha districts – Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam – were put on alert, and the intensity will likely increase on December 5.
As of 5.30 a.m. on Monday, the cyclonic storm Michaung (pronounced Migjaum) was moving northwestward with a speed of 10 kmph over Southwest and adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal. The location is 110 kilometers east-northeast of Chennai, 190 kilometers southeast of Nellore, 210 kilometers northeast of Puducherry, 310 kilometers south-southeast of Bapatla, and 330 kilometers southeast of Machilipatnam.
Cyclone Michaung warnings
The storm is likely to move north-northwestward, and intensify further by Monday into a severe cyclonic storm. In a special bulletin issued by IMD on December 5, the storm would move almost parallel to the south Andhra Pradesh coast and would cross it between Nellore and Machilipatnam, near Bapatla, as a severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained winds of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.
A yellow rain warning has also been issued for one or two places in Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada districts on December 6.
From December 4 evening, squally winds will reach 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph along and off Odisha coast (Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur) and it is expected to gradually increase to 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph for the next 12 hours starting December 5.
There will also be strong surface winds reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph over Malkangiri, Koraput, and Rayagada districts of Odisha on December 5.
In the meantime, farmers have started harvesting their standing matured crops as advised by the state government, while fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep sea along and off Odisha coast during December 4-6.
Puducherry coastal areas are subject to Section 144
In view of the upcoming cyclone ‘Michaung’, expected to hit the west-central Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts, the Puducherry district administration imposed Section 144 of the IPC on the coastal areas close to Puducherry’s sea shore.
The district administration restricted all movement in the coastal areas near the sea-shore from 7 p.m. on December 3 until 6 p.m. on December 5 in order to prevent any loss of life or property.
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