<p>The cyclonic storm Lehar in the Bay of Bengal Wednesday moved further towards the Andhra Pradesh coast and could cross it Thursday causing extensive damage, officials said.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The "very severe" cyclonic storm was now centered about 650 km east-southeast of Machillipatnam and 600 km east-southeast of Kakinada in the state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.<br /><br />"The cyclone moved west-northwestward with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours," the IMD said.<br /><br />The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall from Wednesday evening over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam district of Puducherry.<br /><br />"(The) intensity would gradually increase at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam district Thursday," the IMD said.<br /><br />It warned of extensive damage to mud houses and agricultural crops, and disruption of power and communication lines as well as rail and road traffic.<br /><br />IMD has called for total suspension of fishing operations.<br /><br />It also called for mobilizing evacuation from coastal areas and judicious regulation of rail and road traffic and asked people in affected areas to remain indoors.<br /><br />An IMD bulletin said squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph would commence along and off Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts Wednesday evening.<br /><br />The wind speed would be 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph over Vizianagaram and Prakasham districts of Andhra Pradesh at the time of landfall.<br /><br />The sea would be rough to very rough from Wednesday evening and become "phenomenal" Thursday.<br /><br />The IMD said the storm surge with height of about two-three metres above astronomical tide would inundate low lying areas of West and East Godavari, Guntur and Krishna districts of Andhra and Yanam.<br /><br />Lehar will be the second cyclone to hit Andhra coast. Helen hit the coast near Machilipatnam last week killing six people.<br /><br />Cyclone Phailin and heavy rains last month claimed 58 lives and damaged crops over 13 lakh hectares.</p>
<p>The cyclonic storm Lehar in the Bay of Bengal Wednesday moved further towards the Andhra Pradesh coast and could cross it Thursday causing extensive damage, officials said.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The "very severe" cyclonic storm was now centered about 650 km east-southeast of Machillipatnam and 600 km east-southeast of Kakinada in the state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.<br /><br />"The cyclone moved west-northwestward with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours," the IMD said.<br /><br />The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall from Wednesday evening over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam district of Puducherry.<br /><br />"(The) intensity would gradually increase at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam district Thursday," the IMD said.<br /><br />It warned of extensive damage to mud houses and agricultural crops, and disruption of power and communication lines as well as rail and road traffic.<br /><br />IMD has called for total suspension of fishing operations.<br /><br />It also called for mobilizing evacuation from coastal areas and judicious regulation of rail and road traffic and asked people in affected areas to remain indoors.<br /><br />An IMD bulletin said squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph would commence along and off Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts Wednesday evening.<br /><br />The wind speed would be 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph over Vizianagaram and Prakasham districts of Andhra Pradesh at the time of landfall.<br /><br />The sea would be rough to very rough from Wednesday evening and become "phenomenal" Thursday.<br /><br />The IMD said the storm surge with height of about two-three metres above astronomical tide would inundate low lying areas of West and East Godavari, Guntur and Krishna districts of Andhra and Yanam.<br /><br />Lehar will be the second cyclone to hit Andhra coast. Helen hit the coast near Machilipatnam last week killing six people.<br /><br />Cyclone Phailin and heavy rains last month claimed 58 lives and damaged crops over 13 lakh hectares.</p>