Cyclone Hudhud makes landfall
Cyclone Hudhud makes landfall
In the wake of very severe cyclone Hudhud, Most parts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south coast of Odisha will get heavy to very rains.
Visakhapatnam witnessed dark clouds since Saturday morning and began receiving rain since mid-noon. As the cloud band is still getting tightened and the system seems to be consolidating by every hour, moderate to heavy rain will commence from night of October 11. The districts to be affected include East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagram and Srikakulam districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The dreadful memories of Cyclone Phailin have not diminished from the minds of residents of Odisha and thus, they are hoping that predictions of weathermen across the county comes true and landfall takes place in Andhra coast.
Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam and Nabrangpura districts of Odisha will also get heavy to very heavy rains. Intensity of rain will increase gradually till landfall, between morning and noon of October 12. Strong winds of 180 Kmph, gusting to 200 Kmph will lash coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
By evening of 12th, as the cyclone starts weakening, rain will subside over these districts but spread of rain will increase significantly. This system will degenerate into a deep depression and then to a depression and subsequently into a low pressure area by the 13th evening. Areas affected during this course will be entire Odisha, northern parts of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, northeast Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Cyclone Hudhud is rapidly gaining strength and has entered the range of Cyclone Detection Radar stationed at Vishakhapatnam along the east coast of India. Hudhud is currently moving at a speed of 10 kmph and could make landfall near Visakhapatnam before Sunday noon.
With a speed of 180 kmph at the core and gusting at 200 kmph, Hudhud is demonstrating strength equivalent to CAT II storm but could strengthen to CAT IV just before landfall.
Satellite imagery depicts that the cloud band is still getting tightened and the system seems to be consolidating by every hour. The cloud top temperature at present is (-53°C), depicting heavy showers along the coastal areas.
Visakhapatnam witnessed dark clouds since Saturday morning and began receiving rain since mid-noon. Around 400 villages in Andhra Pradesh are expected to face the cyclone fury.
Precautions taken in Andhra Pradesh
According to media reports, NDRF teams comprising of more than 1680 rescuers have been positioned. Moreover, enough life-saving equipment have been deployed in various parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to meet any kind of challenges.
Cyclone Hudhud has intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm. It is currently centred around 15.9°N latitude and 85.7°E longitude, about 350 km east/southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and 380 km south/southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha.
Punched with a speed of 120-130 kmph at the core and gusting at 150 kmph, Hudhud is travelling in a west/northwest direction. At the moment cyclone Hudhud is demonstrating strength equivalent to CAT II storm and likely to strengthen further.
According to latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, Hudhud will make landfall near Visakhapatnam in the hours between morning and noon of October 12. Maximum wind speed at the time of landfall could be 140-155 kmph.
Coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are likely to bear the maximum brunt of the cyclone. Light rain has commenced in the coastal areas and the cloud cover will gradually thicken to bring overcast skies. As reiterated by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, heavy showers will start lashing the states from tonight and pick up as we approach time of landfall.
Up to 500 km on either side of the landfall area, generally become vulnerable to intense weather activity. The districts to be affected by squally winds and heavy showers would be Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari.
The Odisha Government is also on alert to face the threat posed by Hudhud. The districts likely to be affected are Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.
After landfall, the cyclone will weaken and travel deep inland. 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 hope that the state’s effective preparations will save countless lives.
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