Odisha lowers alert as Lehar crosses Andhra coast

Odisha Thursday lowered storm warning signals as cyclonic storm Lehar weakened into a depression and crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast, officials said.

The storm which was formed over the Bay of Bengal last week weakened into a depression and crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast close to south of Machillipatnam, an official of the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre told IANS.

It would move west-north-westwards and weaken further, he said.

Ten southern and western districts of Odisha were put on alert in the past few days after a prediction that the cyclonic storm will bring heavy rain.

Storm warning signals were sounded at Paradip and Gopalpur ports.

The warning at all state ports was lowered, the official said.

The sea would be moderate to rough along and off the state coast for the next two days and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, he said.