Cyclone Jawad Live Updates: Cyclone weakens into deep depression, to hit Puri on Dec 5

IMD informed that Cyclone Jawad is likely to weaken further into a Depression by tomorrow morning. It is likely to reach near Puri by tomorrow noon. It will then continue to move north-NE wards along Odisha coast towards the West Bengal coast and weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area during subsequent 24 hrs. 

According to IMD reports, Cyclone Jawad weakened into a Deep Depression at 17.30 hrs IST of today. It is about 180 km east-southeast of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 260 km south of Gopalpur (Odisha, 330 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha), and 420 km south-southwest of Paradip (Odisha).

Sanjeev Banerjee, DDGM, IMD Kolkata informed, "As such, there is no threat of cyclone to the West Bengal coast". Heavy rainfall is likely over the coastal districts of West Bengal. Fishermen are advised to not venture into sea till December 5.

According to the IMD prediction, Cyclone Jawad will turn into a deep depression by midnight. Atul Karwal DG, NDRF informed that 3-7 cm rainfall has been observed in some regions. No issues like lack of mobile connectivity or road blockages reported so far. 

Informing that NDRF is prepared for the Cyclone Jawad, Atul Karwal DG, NDRF, informed that a total of 64 teams are available in the affected areas of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha of which 52 are currently deployed. According to IMD, the intensity of cyclone and wind speed has reduced and is around 200km from Vishakhapatnam.

The maximum wind speed in the Puri region is expected to be 75 km/hr. Only heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur and there are no storm warnings in any region. HR Biswas Director IMD Bhubaneshwar informed that traffic may be affected due to waterlogging. People are safely evacuated from the low-lying and vulnerable areas along the coast. 

The Cyclone Jawad was observed moving northwards in the past 1 hour and will continue the same for the next 12 hours, HR Biswas Director IMD Bhubaneshwar informed. Further weakening trend in the intensity of the cyclone is observed which is expected to hit the coastal regions of Puri tomorrow and to weaken gradually. 

Providing an update on the measures taken by the NDRF in view of the Cyclone Jawad, officer Biswanath Choudhary informed, "One team has been deployed here in Puri. If the situation worsens here, we have all the rescue equipment and team ready for that".

Light rainfall has already started in West Bengal and wind speed is expected to increase in a few hours, informed M Kalaiyasan 2nd Batallion, NDRF. "We are asking people in the coastal areas of old and new Digha to move to safer places," he said. 

The cyclone Jawad is currently located around 210 km in the southeast of Vishakhapatnam and 390km southwest of Puri and is already showing signs of weakening, said Pradeep Kumar Jena, Relief Commissioner, Odisha. The cyclone will move away from Odisha by tomorrow evening, he added. 

"All our response forces are deployed in the fields and some evacuation is also going on. People living in low-lying houses are only being moved. As an impact of this cyclone, we expect large-scale damage to paddy crops. Crop damage assessments are being done," the Commissioner said. 

The Cyclonic Storm ‘JAWAD’ over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards with a speed of 6 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 0830 hrs IST of today, December 4. It is likely to move nearly northwards, weaken gradually during the next 12 hours and then move north-northeastwards along Odisha coast reaching near Puri around 5th December noon, the 
IMD said in its latest report.

Lifeguards from the Odisha Fire & Disaster dept urged people to vacate Puri beach, in the wake of Cyclone Jawad. People were seen vacating the beach area with their make-shift shops & belongings, while the deployed police expedited the process. 

Rainfall activity will increase today in districts like Srikakulam, Vizianagaram & adjoining areas of Visakhapatnam while West Bengal might also experience rain today and tomorrow, said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, DG of the MeT Department. On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh will be clear and north Odisha might witness rain on Dec 5. 

"There'll be a weakening north-northeastwards change in the movement of Cyclone Jawad after evening, along the Odisha coast. Till Dec 5, it'll reach Puri area to form a deep depression. Wind speed is expected to be 50-70kmph till Dec 5 afternoon," he added.

Eight teams of the NDRF have been deployed in coastal areas of West Bengal amid warnings of heavy rain due to Cyclone Jawad. Eight more teams will be deployed by tonight.

• Kolkata - 2 
• South 24 Parganas - 1 
• North 24 Parganas- 1 
• East Midnapore - 1 
• West Midnapore- 1 
• Hooghly - 1 
• Nadia - 1

Continuous rains have been witnessed across the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh with windspeeds of 50kmph at few locations. A total of 79 cyclone shelters have been optioning since yesterday. NDRF, SDRF, fire teams on alert and deployed across the district, said Shrikesh B Lathkar, Collector & DM.

Heavy showers and high-speed winds were witnessed in coastal Odisha on Saturday morning as Cyclone Jawad moved along the coast. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rain is also expected in parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal today. The cyclone, which is likely to cause landfall near Puri on Sunday noon, will weaken gradually and move nearly northwards during the next 12 hours.

Preparing to tackle the impacts of Cyclone Jawad which is approaching the northern coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, as many as 11 NDRF, 5 SDRF, 6 Coast Guard, 10 Marine Police teams have been deployed in three districts of the state. A total of 54,008 persons have been evacuated from low-lying areas of Vishakapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam. 

Cyclone Jawad is, at present, moving within the Bay of Bengal at a relatively slow speed of 4 kmph and is still quite far from the coast. Its intensity is likely to reduce tomorrow.

With Cyclonic Storm, 'Jawad', likely to hit North Andhra Pradesh on Saturday morning, the Indian Navy on Friday said that it has ramped up rescue and relief operations to minimize damages. 

As part of the preparedness, the Navy said that 13 flood relief teams (FRT) and four diving teams are kept on standby to be deployed for assisting in the rescue and relief operations. As many as three FRT and two diving teams have been dispatched to Odisha from Visakhapatnam to augment the existing resources.

Naval aircraft are kept ready at Naval Air Stations, INS Dega at Visakhapatnam, and INS Rajali near Chennai to undertake aerial surveys of the most affected areas, casualty evacuation, and airdrop of relief material as required.

Saturday morning's deep depression has intensified into Cyclonic Storm Jawad, said Visakhapatnam -MeT Director Sunanda. Now it is moving north northwest direction towards north Andhra Pradesh coast. Subsequently, Cyclone Jawad will cross between Gopalpur and Puri in Odisha, she added, 

According to IMD scientist Umasabnkar Das, Cyclone Jawad is expected to hit Odisha's Puri on Sunday with the possibility of landfall in a few areas. As the deep depression has intensified into a Cyclonic Storm, very heavy rainfall is expected in three states - Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal. A red alert has been issued in the coastal areas of Odisha and people have been advised to remain indoors, said Das.