New Delhi, 10 October 2014

Cyclone Hudhud headed for landfall in India: NASA

Tropical cyclone Hudhud is expected to intensify and peak to around 100 knots (185 kmph) before landfall near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh late Sunday, forecasts based on NASA data show.

NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over Hudhud yesterday as it reached hurricane-force.

The data showed the coldest cloud top temperatures were in thunderstorms. Cloud top temperatures were as cold as -53 degree Celsius, which have the potential for dropping heavy rainfall.

Hudhud’s maximum sustained winds were nearer to 75 knots (138.9 kph) Friday.

It was centred near 15.5 north and 86.7 east, about 250 nautical miles southeast Visakhapatnam.

Hudhud has tracked northwestward at 6 knots (11.1 kph).

Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) of the US Navy indicated yesterday that animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery showed that bands of thunderstorms have become more tightly wrapped into the low-level centre. In addition, micro-wave satellite data revealed an eye in the storm.

The JTWC expects the cyclone to remain on a generally west-northwestward trajectory over the next couple of days.

200,000 being evacuated to safer places in Andhra

With cyclonic storm Hudhud set to hit the Andhra coast Sunday, the authorities are preparing to evacuate more than 200,000 people in four coastal districts to safer places.

The northern coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and Visakhapatnam and adjoining coastal district of East Godavari are bracing for the ‘very severe’ cyclonic storm, which is likely to make a landfall around Visakhapatnam Sunday forenoon.

According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone is lying 330 km southeast of Visakhapatnam and 380 km south-southeast of Gopalpur Saturday morning.

Fifteen teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 250 personnel of army have reached the region while four naval ships and 10 helicopters of Indian Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF) are ready for rescue and relief operations.

The evacuation of people from coastal and low-lying areas will start later in the day. Officials said the number of people to be evacuated would depend on the weather conditions.

Winds along the coast are gathering momentum while sea conditions have turned rough. Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre has forecast rains from Saturday afternoon.

It has warned of rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls over West Godavari, East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam districts of north Andhra Pradesh and eight districts of south Odisha during next two days.

Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph would prevail along and off north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts during next 12 hrs. The wind speed would gradually increase to 140-150 kmph around the time of landfall along and off north Andhra Pradesh.

The IMD has also issued storm surge warning. Storm surge would inundate low lying areas of north coastal Andhra.

Extensive damage to kutcha houses, uprooting of big trees, partial disruption of power and communication lines are expected.

Fishing operations have been suspended along the coast as authorities have warned fishermen against venturing into sea.

As there is no possibility of cyclone changing its course or its weakening, , Chief Secretary I.Y.R. Krishna Rao directed officials to be ready for cyclone relief measures on war-footing.

He said BSNL and other telecom service providers were urged to issue cyclone alerts to people living in coastal areas.

Round the clock control rooms have been opened at Andhra Pradesh secretariat in Hyderabad. The numbers are 040- 23456005 and 23450419.

Coast Guard, Coastal Security wing, Marine Police, and also superintendents of police were asked to be alert in view of cyclone and assist the District administration.

The authorities have set up over 200 relief camps to provide shelter to people to be evacuated from vulnerable villages. The government has cancelled leave of all employees and those who were on leave were asked to immediately return to the duties.

The district collectors said they have made arrangements to stock fuel, drinking water, food, medicines and other essential commodities for rescue and relief operations.

As a precautionary measure, the railways have cancelled over 60 trains and diverted many others in view of the cyclone.

Over 40 trains cancelled in view of cyclone

With severe cyclonic storm ‘Hudhud’ heading to hit eastern coast, Indian Railways have cancelled over 40 trains and diverted many others.

East Coast Railway have announced cancellation of 35 trains and diversion of 31 others over the next two days. South Central Railway have also cancelled five express and three passenger trains.

Both the railway zones have also set up helpline desks to provide information to passengers about cancellations and diversions.

The trains cancelled by East Coast Railway include Bangalore-Bhubaneswar Prashanti Express, Bhubaneswar-Yashwantpur, Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Duronto, Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Garib Rath and Tirupati-Visakhapatnam Tirumala Express.

The cyclonic storm in Bay of Bengal is heading towards Andhra Pradesh coast. It is likely to cross the coast around Visakhapatnam Sunday.

Armed forces, NDRF ready to tackle cyclone Hudhud

Indian armed forces and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Friday said they are fully geared to face the approaching cyclone ‘Hudhud’.

The cyclone is likely to hit eastern coast along Odisha and Andhra Pradesh Sunday.

The army has kept its headquarters in Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Karnataka and Kerala area and Air Defence College in stand-by mode to undertake relief and rescue operations as and when required.

The navy has also positioned its assets and personnel in some of the important areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, including Chilka and Vishakhapatnam, for possible relief and rescue operation.

The navy has kept teams of personnel ready for relief and rescue operations as cyclone ‘Hudhud’ approaches the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts, a navy official said Friday.

The naval base at Vishakhapatnam has kept on stand-by 30 diving teams of 10 personnel each ready with inflatable Gemini crafts and associated equipment.

“Some 20 rescue teams of 10 personnel each are on stand-by and two ships with medical stores are also on stand-by,” the official said.

“Medical teams with requisite medical equipment, four helicopters and two fixed wing aircraft are also on stand-by,” he said.

The navy has also kept ready three diving teams at Chilka lake in Odisha while two teams are at Kolkata.

The Indian Air Force has, meanwhile, kept one IL-76, one C-17 and two AN-32 aircraft ready at Chandigarh, Delhi and Jorhat, respectively.

Keeping the rescue operations in mind it has kept in standby mode three Chetak at Hyderabad, two Medium Light Helicopters at Barrackpore and two Medium Light Helicopters at Nagpur and Ranchi.

The Indian Coast Guard has also deployed 17 ships, two Air Cushion Vessels (ACVs) and nine aircraft in Eastern and North-Eastern regions to augment the rescue and relief operations, wherever required.

“The movement of the cyclonic storm ‘Hudhud’ is continuously being monitored and the Armed Forces have been kept in the loop in this regard on regular basis,” a statement from defence ministry said.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are being positioned in advance at vulnerable places to instil confidence among the residents.

S.S Guleria, the DIG of the NDRF, said 20 teams are there in Odisha and, depending on the course of the cyclone and the necessity, some of them may be brought to Andhra Pradesh coast.

At present, the NDRF teams are ready for deployment from Srikakulam to Kakinada.

Odisha government starts evacuation of people

With the cyclonic storm Hudhud intensifying into a very severe cyclonic storm, the Odisha government Friday asked eight district collectors of south Odisha to start evacuation of the vulnerable population to safe buildings and cyclone centres.

The government has asked the collectors of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi and Kandhamal to carefully assess and evacuate the people likely to be affected by the cyclone.

The India Meteorology Department (IMD) has forecast that these districts will be affected by Hudhud although wind speed, after landfall of the system around Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh Oct 12, is likely to be reduced substantially.

The wind speed in south districts of Odisha is likely to be 80-90 kmph, said a spokesperson of Special Relief Commissioner here.

He added that free kitchens will be opened to provide hot meal at shelter places, besides drinking water.

IMD has forecast very heavy to extreme rainfall in south Odisha districts. Besides, other coastal districts may also get heavy rainfall.

Fifteen units of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 10 teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) have been deployed in districts likely to be affected by the cyclone and associated flood. One NDRF team has been kept in reserve. Out of these, 4 units of NDRF have been diverted from the NDRF Battalion, Kolkata,” said the spokesperson.

These teams will assist the district administration in carrying out search, rescue and evacuation operations. The Fire Service units will also be associated in the search, rescue and evacuation operations.

For communication with the district administration during the cyclone, government has provided 14 satellite phones obtained from the union government.

The rescue operation teams and government officials Friday conducted mock drill in all the 323 multi-purpose cyclone shelters in the state with active participation of the community.

Navy keeps relief teams, ships ready for cyclone ‘Hudhud’

The Indian Navy has kept teams of personnel ready for relief and rescue operations as cyclone ‘Hudhud’ approaches the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts, a navy official said Friday.

The naval base at Vishakhapatnam has kept on stand-by 30 diving teams of 10 personnel each ready with inflatable Gemini crafts and associated equipment.

“Some 20 rescue teams of 10 personnel each are on stand-by and two ships with medical stores are also on stand-by,” the official said.

“Medical teams with requisite medical equipment, four helicopters and two fixed wing aircraft are also on stand-by,” he said.

The navy has also kept ready three diving teams at Chilka lake in Odisha while two teams are at Kolkata.

On high alert, the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) has mobilised 35 teams in various parts of Andhra and Odisha.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the situation Friday.

‘Hudhud’ is likely to hit the coasts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh Oct 12.

Four naval ships, six aircraft on standby at Vizag

With severe cyclone ‘Hudhud’ set to strike the east coast of India, four naval ships and six aircraft of Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command are on standby for rescue and relief operations.

Four naval ships are on standby to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR), evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid, said the Eastern Naval Command headquartered at Visakhapatnam, also known as Vizag.

These ships embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats, integral helicopters and relief material including food, tents, clothes, medicines and blankets.

‘Hudhud’ in Bay of Bengal is likely to hit the coast around Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

Six aircraft are also on standby by at the Naval Air Station INS Dega to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material to the stranded. Additionally, 30 diving teams and four platoons with additional relief material are ready to be pressed into action at short notice.

The Eastern Naval Command is monitoring the developments closely and is in constant communication with the Andhra Pradesh state administration to augment the rescue and relief operations.

-IANS