The Andhra Pradesh Government evacuated over one lakh people living in the low lying areas of the three north coastal Andhra districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam by 3.30 pm today, less than three hours before cyclone Phailin is expected to strike the country’s east coast between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
By 4.00 pm, the cyclone lay about 150 kms southeast of Gopalpur.
The Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who held a review meeting with his senior officials in the morning, appealed to people not to fear or panic and assured that adequate measures were taken to mitigate the impact of the approaching cyclone.
He told media persons that out of the 22,994 fisherman who had gone out for fishing, only 22 were yet to return. “But we have received information of their position. They are safe and will be returning shortly,” he said.
Phailin is expected to hit landfall around Gopalpur on Odisha coast at about 6.00 pm. Even a couple of hours before the predicted tryst of Phailin with land, heavy winds were experienced in the coastal districts, with high waves rolling off the coast of Visakhapatnam.
A storm surge has been predicted, with a wall of water pushed inland, creating heavy wind and rainfall.
Navy and army transportation, including helicopters, were positioned at Visakhapatnam. The South Eastern Railway has cancelled all trains between Howrah and Visakhapatnam, including Howrah-Puri, Bhubaneshwar- Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneshwar-Tirupathi express, today as a precautionary measure.