Orissa fishermen alerted over cyclone Laila
By IANSWednesday, May 19, 2010
BHUBANESWAR - The meteorological centre in Orissa Wednesday evening asked fishermen in the state’s coastal districts not to venture into the sea in view of cyclonic storm Laila, which is likely to hit the Andhra Pradesh coast early Thursday.
The centre said the storm is currently lying at a distance of about 720 km southwest of Gopalpur port town in Ganjam district.
“The system is likely to intensify further and move in a northwesterly to northerly direction and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Kakinada, close to Machilipatnam by Thursday morning,” it said in a bulletin.
“The fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea,” the centre said.
“Under the influence of the severe cyclonic storm, strong and gusty surface winds from south-easterly direction with speed reaching 50-60 km per hour are likely to prevail along and off the Orissa coast,” it added.
