Authorities sounded an alert in Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Tamil Nadu as cyclonic storm 'Vardah' over the Bay of Bengal has turned into a "very severe" one. According to IMD, 'Vardah' over west central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal moved further westwards and lay centred at 530 hours over west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal about 520 km east-southeast of Nellore, 490 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam and 480 km east-northeast of Chennai.