(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Cyclonic storm Hudhud hit the Andhra coast yesterday, triggering heavy rains and strong gales, which wrecked havoc in the coastal region killing three people.
The heavy downpour accompanied by powerful winds with speeds reaching up to 185kmph uprooted trees, felled electricity and communication towers and caused widespread destruction to crops.
The districts of Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam are without electricity since Saturday night. Mobile telephones were not working in the region as communication network collapsed.
With trees and poles falling on highways, the vehicular traffic came to a complete halt while railways cancelled all services in the region.
The "very severe cyclonic storm" in the Bay of Bengal started crossing the coast around noon at Pudimadaka, about 50km from this port city.
However, the intensity of the gales and rains continued till evening in Visakhapatnam city.
People were confined to their homes through the day as strong gales felled scores of trees, power and communication towers and hoardings. Many cars parked on roads were damaged.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said in Hyderabad that the eye of the storm crossed the coast but it may take three to four hours for the entire system to cross. He appealed to people to remain indoors till evening.
With the authorities losing contact with the radar tracking the cyclone, they were finding it difficult to provide information about the impact and wind speed.
Naidu quoted the navy as putting the gale speed at 185 kmph.
"We don't have a mechanism to assess the damages as the communication network has collapsed," said Naidu, before leaving for coastal Andhra by road.
The cyclone disrupted the functioning of the Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre here. The centre lost contact with the radar tracking the cyclone.
The officials were relying on the navy radar for information.
Naidu said the communication system had collapsed in the region and urged BSNL, Airtel, Idea and other telecom service providers to immediately rectify the communication towers.
Officials said 320 villages in four districts of Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari were affected.
Two people were killed in Visakhapatnam while another died in Srikakulam district. Two deaths occurred due to falling trees and one due to a wall collapse. Naidu announced a compensation of `500,000 each to the families of those killed, `100,000 for critically injured and `50,000 for other injured.
While officials had earlier stated that nearly 400,000 people need to be evacuated, only 1.35 lakh have moved to 223 relief camps. Officials said 24 teams of the National Disaster response Force (NDRF), two columns of the army, six helicopters and 56 boats were ready for rescue and relief operations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister by phone and enquired about the cyclone 'Hudhud'.
Naidu received the prime minister's call at a news conference he had called to brief about the cyclone. He told Modi that the eye of the cyclone has crossed the coast but it will take three to four hours for the complete system to cross. "Sir, we have lost connection with the radar. We are still analysing the damages," the chief minister said when Modi enquired about the damages.
"We have mobilised men and material for rescue and relief. I am thankful to you. The government of India has done extremely well," Naidu said.
Naidu told reporters that Modi praised the state government for the precautions it took to minimise loss of life and property.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in the afternoon that the cyclone will lose half its intensity in six hours.
"The cyclone, after crossing the coast, will lose its intensity rapidly because the terrain is mountainous," IMD director general L S Rathore said in New Delhi.
"Within six hours, it will lose wind speed by 50 percent and in another six hours it will lost another 50 percent speed and become a depression," said Rathore. Apart from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, heavy rainfall will also be experienced in Chhattisgarh, eastern Madhya Pradesh, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Telangana, the official said.
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