By IANS,
Hyderabad : The Andhra Pradesh coast escaped being battered as a rain-causing depression over west-central Bay of Bengal moved northeastwards and lay centred 270 km off in Orissa, weatherman said.
According to Visakhapatnam cyclone warning centre, the depression may have more impact on Orissa and West Bengal compared to north coastal Andhra.
The India Meteorological Department predicted that the system would move in north-northeasterly direction and cross West Bengal coast near Sagar Island by Friday evening.
“Under influence of this system, widespread rainfall with scattered heavy to very heavy falls would occur over Gangetic West Bengal and isolated heavy to very heavy falls over north Orissa during the next 24 hours,” an IMD bulletin said.
Squally winds with speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph would blow along and off Orissa and West Bengal coasts during the next 24 hours. As the sea conditions will be rough, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.
Widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall would occur over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura till Sunday.
Meanwhile, tidal waves damaged about a dozen fishing boats at Ammalapadu in Srikakulam district of north coastal Andhra. Water also entered the colonies of fishermen along the coast.
The weather office has forecast rains in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and Vijayanagaram districts over the next 24 hours.