As predicted by Skymet, cyclone Hudhud has turned into a severe cyclonic storm and is likely to intensify further. It is currently centred around 13.7°N latitude and 89.2°E longitude, more than 800 km away from north Andhra and south Odisha coast near Long Island.
Punched with a speed of 90 kmph at the core and gusting at 110 kmph, Hudhud is travelling in a west/northwest direction. Coastal areas of Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh remain under threat but predicting its exact landfall still remains precarious. The storm could hit anywhere between Visakhapatnam in Andhra coast and Gopalpur in the neighbouring state of Odisha on the 12th morning.
Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have started experiencing clouding, which will gradually thicken to bring overcast skies. As reiterated by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, heavy showers will start lashing the states from October 10 and pick up as we approach landfall. Up to 500 km on either side of the landfall area, generally become vulnerable to intense weather activity.
The most damaging aspect of storms, squally winds, will start ravaging the coastal areas from the 11th. After landfall, the rain belt will gradually shift to cover Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh and extend up to east Uttar Pradesh.
Governmental authorities in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are on high alert with the cyclone bearing down on the coast, around the same time as cyclone Phailin battered Odisha. Just like last year, we pray that the state’s effective preparations will save countless lives.
