Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to Twitter urging the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to take stock of the situation
The cyclonic storm 'Gulab' will hit the coasts of North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha around midnight on Sunday (September 26) according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The coastal areas of these states have been put on red alert.
The cyclone storm is likely to move towards North Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur. The maximum speed of the cyclone is predicted to stay between 75-85 kmph to a maximum of 95 kmph at midnight.
Areas like Srikakulam, Sompeta, Vizianagaram, Ganjam districts in Andhra Pradesh are expected to see a tidal wave of 0.5 metres in height.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to Twitter urging the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to take stock of the situation.
The government of Odisha has already begun the process of evacuation in seven identified districts - Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri where the impact of the landfall could be devastating.
The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) has dispatched 42 teams and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) 24 squads. The government has also ordered 102 teams of fire brigade personnel to be dispatched.
In Andhra Pradesh, the teams of NDRF have conducted a mock drill of rescue & relief operations at Bandaruvanipeta village in Kalingapatnam. They have also begun the process of evacuation starting with the disabled, old-aged and children.
The cyclone is expected to make landfall between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur on Sunday at 6 pm.
Due to the cyclone, some trains have also been diverted keeping the protection of passengers in mind. The South Central Railways has diverted eight, of which three trains have been rescheduled - Puri to Tirupati, Howrah to Yesvantpur and Howrah to Puducherry.
Once the landfall is over, heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over south Chhattisgarh; heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over Odisha, Telangana and Vidarbha.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "cyclone gulab")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}