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Cyclone Hudhud heading towards Andhra Pradesh, Odisha

by IBNS 11 Oct 2014, 08:46 am

Ganjam, Oct 11 (IBNS): The cyclone Hudhud is expected to make landfall around Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday before noon, Met department sources said.

The severe cyclonic storm is heading towards Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with authorities preparing for large-scale evacuations especially in the coastal districts.

The cyclone is currently 330 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and 380 km south-southeast of Odisha's Gopalpur. It has a wind speed of 120-130 km per hour, reports said.

Sources said that three northern coastal districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam could be the worst hit in Andhra Pradesh due to the cyclonic spell.

About four and a half lakh people from as many as 500 villages in the five coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh will have to be evacuated and moved to local relief camps.

Fishermen have been asked not to venture out in the sea from Saturday morning.

In Odisha also, the state government has asked the local authorities to start evacuation drive in areas like Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.