Hudhud is not Phailin but cyclonic danger looms large over coastal Andhra and Odisha

NEW DELHI: Severe cyclonic storm 'Hudhud' will not be as intense as 'Phailin' that had hit India's eastern coast exactly a year ago, but the country's weather forecaster on Thursday advised the states - mainly Odisha and Andhra Pradesh - to remain as alert and prepared as they were in 2013.

Just hours before the 'Hudhud' is expected to turn "very severe" from "severe", the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in its latest update said, "The system would continue to move west-northwestwards, intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours".

Predicting the wind speed of 145 kilometer per hour (kmph) for Friday morning that will be further intensified to 155 kmph on Saturday brining "very heavy" to "extremely heavy" rainfall, it said that the 'Hudhud' would eventually cross north Andhra Pradesh coast around Visakhapatnam by the afternoon of October 12 (Sunday).

Obviously, its wind speed will not be close to what the eastern cost had witnessed through 'Phailin' that had touched 210 kmph in October last year and become the second-strongest tropical cyclone ever to make landfall in India. The country had witnessed the severest cyclone of all time in Odisha in 1999.

In any case, the impact of 'Hudhud' cannot be underestimated at this juncture. Besides expecting "extensive damage" to 'kutcha' houses, the IMD did not rule out partial disruption of power and communication lines. It also expected minor disruption of rail and road traffic, potential threat from flying debris and flooding of escape routes.

Issuing heavy rainfall warning for north Andhra Pradesh coast and south Odisha, the IMD said, "Under the influence of the system, rainfall at most places with heavy (6.5 - 12.4 cm) to very heavy fall (12.5 - 24.4 cm) at a few places and isolated extremely heavy fall (> 24.5 cm) would occur over east Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam districts of north coastal AP and south Odisha from the evening of October 11 onwards".

"Rainfall would occur at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over remaining districts of AP and north coastal Odisha during the same period", said the national weather forecaster whose timely alert and accuracy of prediction had saved thousands of lives during 'Phailin' in 2013.

It advised suspension of fishing operations in area of influence of cyclone and asked for "judicious regulation" of aviation, navigation, rail and road traffic.

It also advised the people in affected areas to remain at safe places till October 13 when the 'Hudhud' would ultimately subside to non-dangerous level.

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