Cyclone Titli now in severe' class, landfall today

BHUBANESWAR: Cyclone ‘Titli’ has now turned into a severe cyclonic storm and is very likely to make landfall between Gopalpur coast in Odisha and Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh by 5.30 am on Thursday morning, H R BIswas, Director of Regional of Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, on Wednesday.

In a bulletin, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), said the cyclonic storm ‘Titli’ over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of about 10 kilometre per hour (kmph) during past 06 hours, intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centered over west-central Bay of Bengal near latitude 16.0°N and longitude 85.8°E, about 370 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 310 km southeast of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) at 5.30 am  on Wednesday. “Titli is very likely to intensify further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) during next 18 hours. It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and cross Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh coasts between Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam around morning of 11th October,’ said and IMD bulletin.

‘Thereafter, it is very likely to re-curve northeastwards, move towards Gangetic West Bengal across Odisha and weaken gradually,’ it added.

‘The wind speed is likely to increase gradually becoming 100-110 kmph gusting to 125 kmph from this evening along and off south Odisha coast and 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph along and off north Odisha coast,’ the bulletin stated. The state government, meanwhile, announced closure of schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres in all the districts from Wednesday.  Chief minister Naveen Patnaik held a cyclone preparedness meeting in the state.