Bay depression gears up to strike coast as very severe cyclone

UPDATE - follow-up to Andhra braces for very severe cyclonic storm; Odisha activates disaster mitigation machinery | LIVE: A depression over the Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm, threatening coastal regions across eastern and southern India.

Storm Movement

The India Meteorological Department reports the system was centered near latitude 15.3 degrees north and longitude 91.2 degrees east, about 880 kilometres east-southeast of Visakhapatnam. Moving at a speed of 5 kilometres per hour, the system is expected to cross between northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha coasts on the morning of October 28, with wind speeds reaching up to 221 kilometres per hour. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority Managing Director Prakhar Jain urged residents to stay on high alert.

State Preparedness

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed state preparedness and directed officials to target zero casualties, leading to the postponement of President Droupadi Murmu's scheduled two-day visit to the state. Meanwhile, the Greater Chennai Corporation issued helpline number 1913 for civic emergencies, while officials like GCC South Zone Deputy Commissioner Ahtab Rasool inspected waterlogged areas in Chennai. Kerala remains under an orange alert in five districts, and Jharkhand expects rainfall on October 28 and 29.

Context

Coastal regions along the Bay of Bengal frequently experience severe cyclonic storms during the post-monsoon season due to warm sea surface temperatures. Governments routinely activate disaster management machinery and evacuate vulnerable populations to prevent loss of life during such extreme weather events.