Almost four months after Cyclone Yaas wreaked havoc on the eastern coast of India, another cyclone – ‘Cyclone Gulab’ – made landfall yesterday evening, September 27, on a stretch between Kalingapatanam in Andhra Pradesh and Gopalpur in Odisha.
So far, three deaths have been reported as a result of the cyclone. While a person reportedly died by drowning after being swept away in Odisha’s Ganjam district, two fishers died in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district as their boat capsized in the turbulent waters of the Bay of Bengal.
In its bulletin released today, India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that the storm has weakened into a ‘depression’ and is likely to lose strength further as it moves away from the eastern coast and passes through states like Telangana, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
However, the met department has also stated that it is likely that the remnant of the ongoing depression could intensify after coming in contact with the waters of the Arabian Sea on September 30.
IMD also stated that isolated areas in states like Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are expected to witness heavy rainfall.
Minimal loss of life
Strict adherence to precautionary measures has helped in minimising losses in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Hours before Cyclone Gulab made its landfall, Odisha’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik yesterday had announced a ‘zero casualty’ target in the vulnerable districts of the coastal state.
“The CM has appealed to the people to remain indoors, particularly in pucca houses from Sunday evening till 10 am of Monday during which the cyclone will pass through the region,” Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena told reporters yesterday.
As many as 39,000 people were evacuated from the vulnerable districts of Odisha prior to the landfall.
Debasis Paul, General Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh’s Democratic Traditional Fishers’ and Workers’ Forum (DTFWF) told Gaon Connection that thorough vigilance and strict adherence to precautionary measures have helped Andhra Pradesh in minimising the losses.
“Nearly all the fishers who were at the sea returned to the coast by the time landfall happened. A freak accident did occur as some fishers were thrown into the turbulent sea after their boat lost balance in the turbulent waters near the Srikakulam district. Two fishers have been confirmed as dead,” Paul said.
Threat not yet over
“It is likely that the remnant of the present deep depression could emerge into northeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Gujarat coast around 30th September around 1200 UTC (5 pm IST) and there is likelihood for the system to further intensify over northeast Arabian Sea during the subsequent 24 hours,” said IMD.
Also, Sridhar Balasubramanian, an associate professor with the department of mechanical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay pointed out that the storm will maintain some strength as it moves towards the western coast as the loss of strength due to land friction will be gradual.
“Once the cyclone makes landfall, the dissipation process would begin due to land friction. However, it is likely that the dissipation mechanism may not be rapid and would be gradual. Therefore, the storm is likely to maintain some strength as it moves inland,” Balasubramanian wrote in a blog.
“The westerlies moisture drag from Arabian Sea would also help system maintain its intensity as a DD (Deep Depression) up until Chhattisgarh/Telangana,” he added.
