Cyclone Jawad: Entrance exams postponed; heavy rains predicted at isolated places in Odisha, Andhra today

State Disaster Management Authority Commissioner K Kanna Babu explained that flooding of roads, inundation, uprooting of trees and water-logging in low-lying areas and closure of underpasses mainly in urban areas were expected under the impact of the cyclonic storm.

Re-scheduling of entrance exam for MBA (IB) 2022-24 of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, scheduled for 5th Dec, postponed in Vijayawada & Visakhapatnam (Andhra), Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Cuttack (Odisha) and Kolkata, Durgapur (WB). Revised date to be announced later.

Due to the red alert issued in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh for Jawad cyclone for December 4, UGC-NET December 2020 and June 2021 Examinations, scheduled to be held on Dec 5, has been rescheduled in the two states. A revised datasheet for rescheduled examination will be uploaded later.

As cyclone to bring rains in Bengal, the state government has started taking measures to combat the devastation. Inhabitants of the state's low-lying areas, mainly in South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur districts, have been moved to higher lands and safe shelters, an official said. NDRF and SDRF teams have been positioned at various places in coastal areas for timely rescue and relief operations.

Cyclonic storm Jawad continued to move north-northwestwards during the past 6 hours and lay centered at 5:30 pm today over the west-central Bay of Bengal, about 300 km south-SE of Vishakhapatnam, 420 km nearly south of Gopalpur, 480 km south-SW of Puri, and 560 km south-SW of Paradip, IMD said on Friday.

"It is likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh – south Odisha coasts by tomorrow, the 4th December morning," it said.

"Thereafter it is likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move along Odisha coast reaching near Puri around 5th December noon. Subsequently, it is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards along coastal Odisha towards the West Bengal coast," the weather department added.

Morning's deep depression has intensified into Cyclonic storm Jawad. Now it is moving north northwest direction towards north Andhra Pradesh coast. By tomorrow it will move and there will be further intensification, said Sunanda, Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre Director.

"Thereafter it will turn north northeast direction and move parallel to the coast. It will cross between Gopalpur and Puri in Odisha," she said.

According to IMD, the cyclonic storm Jawad is expected to hit off Puri coast on Sunday. The cyclone will cause heavy rainfall in three states including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. 

The name of the cyclone -- 'Jawad' -- has been proposed by Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday reviewed the preparedness to deal with the situation. According to the PMO, the prime minister has directed officials to take every possible measure to ensure that people are safely moved to safety and the maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, drinking water, and that they are restored immediately in the event of any disruption.

He has asked them to ensure adequate storage of essential medicines and supplies and to plan for unhindered movement. He also directed the round-the-clock functioning of control rooms.

Very heavy rainfall is likely to start in north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha by today evening. The intensity of rainfall is likely to increase on Saturday, IMD officials said.

Deep depression in Bay of Bengal may intensify as cyclonic storms in the next 8-10 hours. State administration has prepared its response measures for a possible landfall in Ganjam, Puri or Jagatsinghpur. The expected associated wind speed will be 80-100kmph, Odisha special relief commissioner PK Jena said.

As per the reports of IMD and advisories issued by Spl Relief Commissioner on Cyclonic storm Jawad reaching the coasts of Odisha, we regret to inform that Konark Festival & International Sand Art Festival held in Konark are being called off with immediate effect, Odisha Tourism said on Friday.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has earmarked 64 teams to tackle the impending cyclonic storm 'Jawad' that is expected to affect the states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, a senior officer said on Friday. NDRF Director General (DG) Atul Karwal told reporters during a briefing here that while 46 teams have been deployed or pre-positioned in the vulnerable states, 18 teams have been kept in reserve. A single NDRF team has about 30 personnel who are equipped with pole cutters, electric saws to cut uprooted trees, inflatable boat and some other relief and rescue gadgets. "We are confident of taking care of the situation," Karwal said, adding all preparations have been done by the federal contingency force to help the affected states and the citizens. The NDRF head said the national crisis management committee (NCMC), a panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officers have already reviewed the situation and these will continue till the cyclone hits coast on December 5 in Odisha. 

A low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm 'Jawad', the India Meteorological Department said on Friday. The cyclonic storm is likely to reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off the coast of north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha by Saturday morning, the IMD said.
It will then move north-northeastward along the coast of Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh and touch the coast around Puri by December 5 noon, according to the weather department. Very heavy rainfall is likely to start in north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha by Friday evening. The intensity of rainfall is likely to increase on Saturday, it said. The low-pressure area had developed over the Andaman Sea on November 30.  It intensified into a depression on December 2 and further into a deep depression on Friday morning. It turned in a cyclone on Friday noon, the IMD said. A red colour warning has been issued for Andra Pradesh's Srikakulam, Vizianagram and Visakhapatnam districts for Saturday. The red colour warning has also been issued for the Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur districts of Odisha. The name of the cyclone- 'Jawad'- has been proposed by Saudi Arabia.

Cyclone 'Jawad' to touch coast near Puri in Odisha around noon on December 5: IMD.

Due to heavy rainfall, electric and telephonic lines can be disrupted. Cyclone alerts are announced in the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh. This can turn into a cyclonic storm and is likely to reach Vishakhapatnam by the evening tomorrow, Later, the cyclone will move towards Odisha and heavy rainfall will be observed in all coastal regions. Rainfall intensity is likely to increase on December 4. Wind speed is expected to be 50-55km/hour and will increase gradually gusting to 100km/hour: Mrityunjay Mahapatra (DG, IMD).

IMD said, "The off-shore and alongshore operations along north Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal coasts are advised to be judiciously regulated on Friday, suspended on Saturday and Sunday to ensure safety of life and property."

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted for coastal areas along Andhra Pradesh and Odisha starting from Friday with the intensity increasing on Saturday and rainfall expected over Gangetic West Bengal too. With squally winds and gale winds along the coastal areas, sea conditions that are rough to very rough on Friday are expected to be high on Saturday.

Andhra Pradesh: All schools across the Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts will be closed from noon today and tomorrow, in the wake of Cyclone Jawad: Visakhapatnam District Collector, Mallikarjuna. 

Around 65 ongoing trains were cancelled from the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh for December 3, 4, in the wake of Cyclone Jawad: Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Waltair Division of East Coast Railway, AK Tripathi.

The deep depression over the west-central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and likely to reach west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coasts by morning of December 4: India Meteorological Department. 

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the depression lying centred over the Bay of Bengal about 770 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam late Thursday night is likely to move northwestwards. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in many parts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Gangetic West Bengal, prompting the IMD to issue a warning about the inundation of low lying areas and possible damage to standing crops, especially paddy.

PM Modi directed officials to ensure adequate storage of essential medicines and supplies and to plan for unhindered movement. He also directed for 24x7 functioning of control rooms. India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that the low-pressure region in the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into Cyclone Jawad and is expected to reach the coast of north Andhra Pradesh - Odisha around the morning of Saturday, December 4, 2021, with the wind speed ranging upto 100 kmph. 

Cyclone Jawad is likely to cause heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. IMD has been issuing regular bulletins with the latest forecast to all the concerned States. Cabinet Secretary has reviewed the situation and preparedness with Chief Secretaries of all the Coastal States and Central Ministries/ Agencies concerned.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday to review the preparedness of States and Central Ministries and concerned agencies to deal with the situation arising out of the likely formation of Cyclone Jawad, informed the Prime Minister's Office. As per PMO, the Prime Minister directed officials to take every possible measure to ensure that people are safely evacuated and to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as Power, Telecommunications, health, drinking water etc. and that they are restored immediately in the event of any disruption.

Fisheries and ARD Department issued an order stating that "In view of the impending cyclonic storm 'JAWAD' as a measure of abundant caution there is a need to restrict fishing activities along the entire coast of Odisha and Chilika Lake from December 3, 2021 till December 5, 2021."

Pradeep Kumar Jena, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said, "We have asked the district administration to evacuate the people from low lying areas on time and to shift Cyclone shelters." Odisha Government also prohibit fishing activities within the territorial waters along the entire coastline of Odisha State and Chilika lake by all types of fishing vessels (Mechanized, Motorized and Non Motorized Boats) from 3rd December 2021 to 5th December 2021 (both days inclusive) (3-days) for safeguarding life and assets of fishers due to impeding cyclonic storm.