Cyclone Sitrang will not affect state, says Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam: People of Andhra Pradesh can heave a sigh of relief as the storm expected to hit during Diwali has changed its direction to Bangladesh.

The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into the cyclonic storm 'Sitrang', India Meteorological Department announced.

The storm is not making landfall on the East Coast states including Andhra Pradesh, it said in its latest weather bulletin on Sunday.

Thailand gave the name for the cyclone.