Cyclone Hudhud's threat halts train services in AP, Odisha

Train services have been badly affected in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on Saturday as Cyclone Hudhud approaches with the threat of widespread damage.

Thirty seven trains originating from port city Visakhapatnam and eastern city Bhubaneshwar or going through either of them, were cancelled for Sunday when the cyclone is set to hit. Thirty one trains will be diverted through other states.

Cyclone Hudhud is expected to hit land around the key port city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday morning. It will also impact neighbouring Odisha.

The cyclone, forecast to bring gusts of up to 155 kph, could disrupt the lives of millions, the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) run by the United Nations and the European Commission said.

Passengers are now scared to board trains.

"Due to the cyclone, no passenger is willing to travel by train. We have also heard that many trains have been rescheduled," said a passenger, Hari Mohan Patra.

Help lines have been set up at various railway stations and emergency and controlling staff have been deployed to meet any contingency. The railways will also coordinate with the State Government and National Disaster Relief Force, if need be.

The railways have also guaranteed speedy refunds for passengers whose trains have been cancelled or diverted.

Around 250 volunteers, aid workers and disaster management officials gathered at a cyclone shelter in Kanamana village, two kms from the coast in Gopalpur in Odisha to conduct a mock evacuation drill.

The Met department said the heavy rainfall and strong winds would likely cause extensive damage and warned of flooding and storm surges up to two metres in low-lying areas.

A meteorological official, N.N Murthy from the Cyclone Warning Centre (CWC), Visakhapatnam said that cautionary signals on various ports had been issued.

"Sea conditions would be rough to very rough during these days. Local cautionary port warning, already we have issued. Local cautionary signal, LC3 is coasted at Kalingapatnam, Veerampattinam, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Machlipatnam coast," said Murthy.

Authorities have been stocking cyclone shelters with dry food rations, water purification tablets and generators. They have opened up 24-hour emergency control rooms and dispatched satellite phones to officials in charge of vulnerable districts.

The National Defense Response Force said it had sent 39 teams - comprising 1,573 staff with 193 boats and other rescue equipment - to various parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.