Bhubaneswar: Cyclone Phailin: The cyclonic storm “Phailin” which hit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Wednesday has intensified and is heading towards coastal Odisha and Andhra Pradesh where it is expected to hit on Saturday night.
Experts describe the storm as “very severe” with a wind speed that will touch 175-185 kms per hour.
A high alert has been declared for all nine coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. Evacuation plans are being worked out.
The National Disaster Management Authority’s head, M. Sasidhar Reddy, has said that Phailin has been categorised as a severe cyclone (only super cylcones are considered more powerful), its impact will be felt on the entire coast.
The Andhra Pradesh government says it has asked the navy, army and air force that their assistance may be required for emergency and relief operations.
“The system would intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours. It would continue to move northwestwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast by the night of October 12,” said the Met department.
In Seemandhra -the two regions of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema -lakhs of government employees remain on strike to protest against the Centre’s decision to split Andhra Pradesh in two by turning the region of Telangana into India’s 29th state.
Their leaders have promised that they will help with any relief and rehabilitation work by temporarily returning to work if the cyclone hits.
Many parts of Seemandhra remain without power for the sixth day in a row because major unions of power plants have refused to end their strike despite several rounds of negotiations with Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.
The Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre has forecast heavy rainfall, and warned fishermen against venturing into sea.cyclone had struck 14 coastal districts of Odisha in October 1999. Nearly 10,000 people were killed as winds raging at 300 kms per hour tore through the coast.
A super-cyclone had struck 14 coastal districts of Odisha in October 1999. Nearly 10,000 people were killed as winds raging at 300 kms per hour tore through the coast.
