DHAKA: A severe cyclone was headed towards the south-eastern coast of India, the meteorological department said Wednesday.

The ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ Lehar was expected to be accompanied by winds with speed of up to 170 kilometres per hour when it made landfall on Thursday afternoon off the coast of Andhra Pradesh state.

Heavy rainfall was expected in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, the department said.

The sea off Andhra Pradesh and Orissa states would be very rough and storm surges of up to 3 metres were expected to inundate low-lying areas of coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Fishermen were advised to return to the coast and thousands were expected to be evacuated from areas along the coast beginning Wednesday noon, NDTV news channel reported, The Voice of Russia says.

The met department said the storm was expected to wreak extensive damage in the region that has seen two cyclonic storms since October.

Cyclone Phialin hit the Andhra and Orissa coast on October 12 killing 40 people and causing widespread destruction.

Another less severe storm, Helen, claimed seven lives in Andhra Pradesh on November 22.

Tropical cyclones often form over the Bay of Bengal, bringing destruction and flooding to India’s southern and eastern coasts.

BDST: 2013 HRS, NOV 27, 2013
RoR/