Very severe Cyclonic storm Titli, which claimed eight lives in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, weekend into a deep depression by Friday morning. Very severe Cyclonic Storm Titli, that claimed eight lives in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, has weakened into a deep depression by Friday morning. According to the India Meteorological Department's update, the deep depression over Odisha moved east-northeastwards in past six hours with a speed of 8 kilometre per hour, and lay centred over Odisha near latitude 20.4°N and longitude 84.6°E, 30 kilometres northeast of Phulbani and 70 kilometres southwest of Angul on Friday morning. It is very likely to move northeastwards towards Gangetic West Bengal and weaken into a depression during next 12 hours. The weather department downgraded the Thursday's red alert to a yellow warning for Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal. Other states which were on a yellow alert included Mizoram, Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya. However, the IMD warned fishermen against venturing into the Bay of Bengal for fishing owing to the rough sailing conditions. Meanwhile, the state of West Bengal, which is currently preparing for the Durga Puja festival, heaved a sigh of relief. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said the gradual weakening of the cyclone was a relief that "puja days will pass well". "It is a sort of relief that cyclone Titli has gradually become weak after hitting Andhra Pradesh. There was a looming danger due to this," Banerjee said while inaugurating a Durga Puja marquee at Chakraberia in south Kolkata's Bhawanipore. She further said that the weathermen have predicted rainfall for the next two days but everyone is aware of nature's unpredictability. "Therefore, people will have to keep the faith that the puja days would pass well." Cyclone Titli made landfall on the eastern coast early on Thursday, wreaking havoc mainly in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha's Gajapati and Ganjam districts. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority said the cyclone caused widespread damage in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, and threw normal life out of gear as heavy to very heavy rains lashed the two north coastal districts since late Wednesday night. While a 62-year-old woman died at Gudivada Agraharam village after a tree fell on her, a 55-year-old man died in a house collapse at Rotanasa village in Srikakulam, the SDMA said. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office said the other six killed were fishermen who had ventured into the sea. The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Koraput, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Boudh, Bolangir, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Khurda, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Bhadrak, Balasore districts till Friday. With inputs from PTI<doc-sep>A screenshot taken from cyclocane.com website around 5:30pm on Thursday, October 11, 2018, shows the trajectory of cyclonic storm Titli over the coast of India The storm made landfall on Thursday morning The severe cyclonic storm “Titli” has moved north-northwest and crossed the Odisha-Andhra coast of India near Gopalpur, where it began weakening gradually. The storm made landfall on Thursday morning. Under the influence of the storm, a steep pressure gradient persists over the north of the Bay of Bengal— and deep convection is taking place over the area as well as the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Squalls are likely to affect the maritime ports, the north of the Bay of Bengal, and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh, said a bulletin of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, on Thursday. Also Read- Cyclone Titli strikes India’s Odisha coast The maritime ports of: Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Mongla, and Payra have been advised to lower local cautionary signals from No 4 to No 3. All fishing boats and trawlers, in the area and at sea, have been advised to shelter till further notice. Additionally, the government has cancelled the leaves of all government officials and staff in 19 coastal areas of the country in the wake of the cyclone. Also Read- Titli intensifies into severe cyclonic storm Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya mentioned the directives while speaking to reporters at his office. The minister also said that all required measures were taken to tackle the effects of Titli. He also said a directive has been given to establish control rooms at all upazila and district headquarters to operate round-the-clock and monitor the situation.<doc-sep>Cyclonic storm Titli left a trail of destruction in two districts of West Bengal on Friday, killing one person and injuring 10 others, even as it weakened into a deep depression while moving northeastward. The meteorological department has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the Gangetic West Bengal till Saturday. Paschim Medinipur and neighbouring Jhargram districts in West Bengal have been witnessing incessant rain since Thursday night. A 35-year-old security guard was killed when a 12-foot factory wall collapsed on him at Kharagpur in Paschim Medinipur district. Ten others were injured in various rain-related incidents, District Magistrate P Mohan Gandhi said. In neighbouring Jhargram too, several mud houses and Durga Puja pandals collapsed owing to cyclone Titli, officials said. According to the meteorological department, the storm system is very likely to further lose steam and turn into a depression as it moves through Odisha and enter the Gangetic West Bengal after recurving northeastwards following landfall at Gopalpur in Ganjam district of Odisha. It is, however, likely to cause heavy to very heavy rainfall in the Gangetic West Bengal, with North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, East Burdwan, Howrah and Hooghly districts to be affected the most. Heavy rain also is likely in Kolkata, Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Malda, North and South Dinajpur districts till Saturday. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off the coasts West Bengal and Odisha, deep sea areas of north and central Bay of Bengal till Saturday owing to rough to very rough sea condition. Squall with speed of 45 to 55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph will prevail along and off the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha, the MeT department said. Tourists at Digha and adjacent sea-side resorts have been advised not to get into any sea-bound activities till Saturday. PTI For in-depth, objective and more importantly balanced journalism, Click here to subscribe to Outlook Magazine<doc-sep>The weatherman warned fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the coasts of West Bengal, Odisha, deep sea areas of North Bay and Central Bay of Bengal till October 12 KOLKATA: With the very severe cyclonic storm Titli gaining strength in the Bay of Bengal, the Met department on Wednesday warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the Gangetic West Bengal until Friday. Under the impact of the cyclone , coastal and over-land areas of East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, South and North 24 Parganas districts in Bengal will experience squally wind, with speed reaching up to 60 kmph from Wednesday evening onwards, the weatherman said. Tourists at seaside resort towns of Digha, Sankarpur, Mandarmani and other places along the coast in the state have been advised "not to undergo any seawater-bound activities during this period," the Met department said. The weatherman warned fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the coasts of West Bengal, Odisha , deep sea areas of North Bay and Central Bay of Bengal till October 12. Following the forecast, the Indian Railways decided to halt train services between Khurda Road in Odisha and Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh. SER spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said, "It has been decided not to allow train services between Khurda Road and Vizianagaram from both directions after 10.00 PM Wednesday till further advice." Long distance trains slated to pass through East Coast Railway jurisdiction between Khurda Road and Vizianagaram on Howrah-Chennai main line may be diverted via Kharagpur-Jharsuguda-Nagpur-Balharshah-Vijayawada route, he said. The 12841 Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Express, 12863 Howrah-Yesvantpur Express, 12504 Agartala-Bengaluru Cant Humsafar Express have been diverted via Kharagpur-Jharsuguda-Sambalpur-Rayagada-Vizianagaram route. Wednesday's 12839 Howrah-Chennai Mail has been rescheduled to leave Howrah at 8 am on Thursday, while 12660 Gurudev Express of Wednesday will leave Shalimar at 8.15 am the next day. The weatherman said cyclone Titli lay centred about 730 km south-southwest of Kolkata at 8.30 am Wednesday and is likely to cross Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh coasts between Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam by Thursday morning. Following its landfall, the severe cyclonic storm is very likely to re-curve northeastwards, move towards Gangetic West Bengal across Odisha and weaken gradually, the Met department said. It said that gale wind speed reaching 100-110 kmph, gusting to 125 kmph, was prevailing over deep sea areas of west-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal and will gradually increase to 120 to 130 kmph, gusting to 145 kmph, from Wednesday evening to Thursday forenoon.<doc-sep>
The weather office has however warned of heavy rain in several districts of West Bengal. The very severe cyclonic storm 'Titli' did not have much impact in West Bengal following its landfall on Thursday, but the southern districts of the state are likely to receive heavy rain as it is may turn towards Gangetic West Bengal. The storm is likely to move northwestwards till Thursday evening and then recurve northeastwards towards Gangetic West Bengal, weakening gradually into a deep depression by Friday morning, the weather office said. Cyclone 'Titli' made landfall early Thursday with surface wind speeds reaching 126 km/per hour at Gopalpur in neighbouring Odisha. Since there was no significant damage to railway tracks and overhead wires and other logistics, South Eastern Railway said it would continue services to different destinations in south India along the normal route. "As per information received from East Coast Railway, the situation in the coastal section is being normalized gradually. Trains will be run on normal route via Kharagpur-Khurda Road-Vizianagram," SER spokesperson Sanjay Ghosh said. There has so far been no report of any damage to property or blockage of road or rail movement in West Bengal owing to 'Titli'. The Met department warned of heavy to very heavy rain in several districts of Gangetic West Bengal till Saturday morning and heavy rain for another day thereafter. Fishermen have been advised by the Met department not to venture into the sea along and off West Bengal coast, Odisha coast, deep sea areas of North Bay and Central Bay of Bengal till October 12. Tourists in sea side resort towns of Digha, Mandarmani, Shankarpur and other places along the Bay of Bengal coast have been advised not to indulge in any water activities till October 12.