Visakhapatnam: The ‘very severe' Cyclone Hudhud wrecked havoc as it hit the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bheemili and Kailasagiri in Visakhapatnam before 11 am on Sunday.
Cyclone Hudhud, which made a landfall in Andhra Pradesh this noon, lost its intensity by evening as it moved further 60 km northwest of Visakhapatnam, the IMD said on Sunday.
Hudhud, which was so far a very severe cyclonic storm has now converted into a severe cyclone. Its speed is now limited to 100-110 kmph, said M Mahapatra, scientist at the Cyclone Warning Division of IMD.
Normal life was thrown out of gear as winds with a speed of 170 to 180 kmph earlier today battered Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts.
The gale, accompanied by heavy downpour, resulted in trees being uprooted and roofs of thatched huts and sheds being swept away. Earlier, in the day, winds were gusting at nearly 200 kms per hour.
Three people have been reported dead in Andhra Pradesh after Cylone Hudhud hit the state. Yoganandam died at Santabommali in Srikakulam district, Appaiah died at Padmanabhaiah mandal and Styavthi died in Anakapalli in Hyderabad.
All three north coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh- Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam are witnessing heavy downpour from early hours of Sunday and the situation is expected to worsen as soon as ‘very severe cyclone’ makes landfall.
AP CM Chandrababu Naidu chairs a high level meeting on Cyclone Hudhud. (Photo: ANI Twitter)
Smashing winds of 200 kmph uprooted trees and electricity poles. Weak structures and bus shelters collapsed and lightweight objects were seen flying.
Students taking shelter at a high school in Srikakulam suffered injuries after the roof collapsed. Sea waves surged by at least 500 metres at various places in Srikakulam and 100 metres at Uppada in Visakhapatnam.
After landfall, the cyclone will persist for almost six hours and will be at its severity during noon. Though, it is expected to later weaken over the next six hours as it will move towards Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Here are the highlights:
Visuals from Vizag after Cyclone #Hudhud makes landfall pic.twitter.com/fNblvdp5EE
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 12, 2014- The eye of the cyclone which passed over Visakhapatnam has caused a lot of destruction, however, the cyclone has now lost 50 per cent of its pace.
- Narendra Modi speaks to Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu, assures him all help in relief and rescue.
- South Central Railway cancels 62, diverts 51 trains due to Hudhud.
- After lull, Cyclone Hudhud resurges in Vizag with intense wind speed of 185 kmph.
- Update from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF): As part of relief and rescue efforts for Cyclone Hudhud, the NDRF "has deployed 42 rescue and relief teams (24 in Andhra Pradesh and 18 in Odisha) comprising 1,775 rescuers. Teams are equipped with 214 rescue boats and placed in the vulnerable locations, which were identified by the respective state governments."
- Railway coaches, Railway community halls and station buildings have been converted into shelters.
- Over 1,000 trees have been uprooted across Visakhapatnam and highways have been blocked.
- NDRF rushes additional teams to Visakhapatnam; total 13 teams in the district now.
- Naidu says major damage to building, crops and telecommunications.
- Naidu appealed to the people to upload updates on Hudhud on the government website.
I appeal to people in coastal districts to stay indoors even 6 hours after the cyclone's effect. Your safety is my concern.
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) October 12, 2014
- Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu will reach Visakhapatnam and will stay there for two to three days to monitor the rescue and relief operations.
- Seth said the next stage will be restoration of critical resources and then rehabilitation will be taken care of.
- Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth held a Crisis Management Committee meeting to discuss the current situation and said we have been in touch with the state and have offered whatever help possible from the Centre.
- Watch: Impact of Cyclone Hudhud
- Hoarding falls down in Madhapur due to strong winds; one person died, 2 others injured.
- Cyclone Hudhud will lose its intensity once it crosses the Andhra Pradesh coast. Because of a mountainous terrain, the cyclone will lose 50 percent of its intensity in the next six hours: IMD.
- Aircrafts will be able to operate tomorrow morning over the city of Visakhapatnam: IMD.
- IMD: The southern districts of Odisha like Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Kandhal and Phulbani are expected to have heavy precipitation. The cyclone is expected to weaken in six hours and the wind speed is expected to reduce, but heavy rainfall will continue till 15th. Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, eastern UP and Bengal may also experience rainfall.
- Seven districts of Odisha will get heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours.
- Rainfall will continue till October 15. The tidal surge will be around 1.5 metre, says IMD.
- IMD: The maximum impact of the cyclone will be at Visakhapatnam. Winds are not very strong in Odisha but heavy rainfall will be seen in south Odisha.
- IMD Director: Gradually, the wind speed will decrease, which will be followed by rainfall. There will be extensive damage. Strong winds have already hit the coast, which means the eye of the storm has hit the coast.
- Three killed in rain-related incidents in Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Hyderabad under influence of severe cyclonic storm Hudhud: AP government.
Property damage in Vizag as Cyclone #Hudhud makes landfall pic.twitter.com/DK5LJYSVy6
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 12, 2014
Property damage in Vizag as Cyclone #Hudhud makes landfall pic.twitter.com/Df8Rws7BFj
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 12, 2014
- Union Cabinet secretary says storm is over but will return with full intensity.
- IMD radar at Visakhapatnam damaged, officials using the one at Machilipatnam.
- Coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh are now experiencing top-speed winds: Met Department.
- Huge devastation in Visakhapatnam: window panes shattered and weak structures have collapsed.
- Cyclone Hudhud has made landfall at the Visakhapatnam coast, wind speeds in Visakhapatnam are 170 km per hour.
- Met Department: The damage is likely to be much more to Andhra Pradesh than Odisha.
- Tidal wave will be too high and can inundate low lying areas.
Latest update on Cyclone #Hudhud Source: India Meteorological Department pic.twitter.com/13NFNRZ1eo
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 12, 2014
- Cyclone Hudhud is expected to make landfall near Visakhapatnam shortly.
- In Visakhapatnam, heavy rain and winds cause massive uprooting of trees.
- Vizag shipping harbour affected, 60 boats damaged.
- Mobiles connectivity have been snapped.
#Hudhud Eye will pass through Kalinga, Bheemunipatnam. Diameter of eye is 50 km wide, will be a lull in storm between 11AM-12:30PM
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 12, 2014
- Cyclone Hudhud hits between Bheemili and Kailasagiri in Visakhapatnam.
- Leading edge of Cyclone Hudhud crossing the coast of Visakhapatnam now; wind speed 190 kmph: Indian Navy.
- Air, railway and road traffic services across Visakhapatnam have been severely affected.
- Relief and rescue agencies like the Coast Guard, NDRF have been put on standby.
Over five lakh people living in and around the vulnerable coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have been evacuated with Cyclone 'Hudhud' with winds gusting up to 195 kmph.
The Army and the Navy have kept their personnel on stand-by for rescue and relief operations.
In Odisha, the state government evacuated people from vulnerable areas to minimise casualties even as two flights and 39 trains on the route were cancelled.
Post landfall outlook
Even after landfall the system would maintain the intensity of very severe cyclonic storm for 6 hours and gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm in subsequent 6 hours while moving northwestwards across south interior Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Under its influence rainfall at most places with heavy falls at a few places would occur over south Chhattisgarh, adjoining Telangana and south Odisha and isolated heavy to very heavy falls over north Chattisgarh, east Madhya Pradesh and north Odisha.
Gale wind speed reaching 100-120 kmph gusting to 130 kmph would also prevail for 6 hours after landfall and 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph for subsequent 6 hours over East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts of north Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput and Malkangiri districts of Odisha during the same period.
Squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph would also prevail for next 12 hours after landfall over south Chattisgarh and adjoining districts of north Telangana and south Odisha.
