Michaung crosses Andhra coast, to weaken into cyclonic storm

AMARAVATI: Severe cyclonic storm Michaung crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast close to Bapatla district between 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm on Tuesday with maximum gales of up to 90-100 km per hour speed, said an Amaravati Meteorological Centre official.

The official said that the weather system is likely to move northwards and weaken into a cyclonic storm in the next two hours. The weather system over the west-central Bay of Bengal, running near the south Andhra Pradesh coast moved northwards at a speed of 11 km per hour in the past six hours and crossed Andhra Pradesh coast between 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm, according to a press release.

By 2.30 pm, it lay centred over south coastal Andhra Pradesh about 15 km southwest of Bapatla and 40 km northeast of Ongole.

While making landfall, the eye of the storm was situated near Bapatla in south Andhra Pradesh coast while the forward sector of the weather system had also entered overland. The landfall phenomenon lasted around three hours.

At many places in the affected districts of the southern state, Michaung left a trail of inundation, eroded roads, overflowing canals, swollen streams and ponds, including submerging thousands of acres of fields of crops in the agrarian state.

Tamil Nadu seeks Rs 5,000 crore as central assistance for relief works

The DMK on Tuesday demanded immediate central assistance of Rs 5,000 crore to provide relief to the people and rebuild infrastructure in Chennai and nearby districts hit by incessant rains caused by cyclone Michaung. The demand was made by DMK MP and Parliamentary party leader TR Baalu in Lok Sabha and Tiruchi Siva in Rajya Sabha. Party MP Kanimozhi drew attention to the issue at a press conference in the national capital, saying the state is facing an unprecedented situation. “We have sought Rs 5,000 crore from the Centre,” she added.

Union govt should extend all help to affected states, says Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday urged the Centre to provide all possible help to states affected by Cyclone Michaung. In a post on X, Kharge said it is distressing to witness the impact of the cyclone in Tamil Nadu, where precious lives have been lost. “The cyclone is expected to make its presence felt in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Puducherry, and may cause heavy rains in Jharkhand. All the state governments must receive every possible assistance from the Centre in this hour of need. We must be together to avert any crisis,” Kharge said.