Hud Hud to hit land near Visakhapatnam on Sunday

The tropical cyclone, Hud Hud seemed heading to the north Seemandhra coast on Thursday. Its severity was upgraded from cyclone to severe cyclone, and it would make landfall near Visakhapatnam before noon on Sunday (October 12), said a bulletin of India Meteorological Department (IMD).

It has moved closer to the coast and is 720 km southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and east-southeast of Visakhapatnam. It would continue to move west-north-westwards and intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm in 24 hours.

While the wind speed along and off the north Andhra coast during the landfall would be 130-140 kilometres (km) per hour (gusting up to 155 kmph), a less gush of 80 to 90 kmph will be seen along and off the south Odisha coast.

The southern parts of Odisha will experience heavy to very heavy rain, weathermen said. Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput and Malkangiri districts may see rain from Saturday afternoon.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure all rescue and relief operations were in place in coastal districts. In a video conference with officials from districts on Thursday, the minister reviewed the preparedness of the state in disaster management. He asked collectors of all coastal districts to take measures to prevent the loss of life and ensure damage to properties was minimal. He said the Centre was sending four National Disaster Response Force teams. The army and air force, too, have come to help the state.