Cyclone Lehar, bearing rain and strong winds of around 170 km, gusting at 200 kmph at the time of landfall, could bring massive damage to the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh. Here's the potential damage and destruction Cyclone Lehar could cause:
Kutcha houses – These houses, built by the poor, are constructed with weak materials such as mud, tin, thatch etc. They would get wet and weaken due to persistent rain and strong winds, and could possibly get entirely demolished by the storm. People living in such houses rendered homeless after the calamity and it takes months to rehabilitate them.
During cyclone Helen, 204 huts, 13 pucca houses, seven kachha houses were fully damaged, 27 kachha and pucca houses were partially damaged, and 72 kachha houses were fully damaged in Rajahmundry district of Andhra Pradesh. 882 houses including pucca, kachha huts were damaged in the West Godavari district.
Old buildings – Old and historical buildings in coastal areas would be under threat as Cyclone Lehar possesses the strength to uproot trees and electric poles along with carrying objects with its high speed winds that could crash into these buildings.
Recently Cyclone Phailin devastated everything at the Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam distirct except the main temple on the hill top.
Power and communication Lines – Electric and Tele-communication poles could be uprooted by strong winds that could lead to power supply and communication failure for more than a week in the areas affected by Lehar.
Media reports said that during Cyclone Phailin more than 210,000 electric poles and over 90 electrical towers were severely damaged, leading to power outages. The rural areas of Ganjam district where Cyclone Phailin struck hard, remained dark for more than a month before power supply was restored.
Rail and Road transport – disruption to rail and road transport could be caused by extensive flooding in low lying areas,
According to an estimate cyclone Phailin had badly hit commute with more than 5,000 km of roads damaged in Odisha. Train movement remains severely disrupted, with swollen rivers flooding railway tracks.
Flying debris – Strong winds could make the situation dangerous as these winds would have the strength to carry flying objects that could hit anything like a tracer bullet.
Total suspension of fishing activities, large scale evacuation from coastal areas, diversion or suspension of rail and road traffic would come into effect as a measure to protect lives and property.
Photograph by Wikipedia
