Intensity of Cyclone Helen reduces in Andhra

Cyclone Helen, which made a landfall here on Friday afternoon, has reduced in intensity and crossed the coast of Andhra Pradesh.

State Relief Commissioner C. Partha Sarathi told media persons in Hyderabad last evening that Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Guntur districts and part of Krishna district have been the worst affected areas by the cyclone.

He said relief operations have been intensified with the help of the police and the fire department.

Ten NDRF teams are positioned in Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari districts and special officers have been deployed for rescue and relief operations.

Presently, the cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 80-90 kilometers per hour, is centered close to south-west of Machilipatnam, and is moving in a west-southwest direction.

Rains continue to lash coastal districts with heavy falls in the past 24 hours as more rains still predicted in the next 24 hours in coastal Andhra and Telangana regions as the system makes a westward move across.

The sea condition will continue to be very rough to high along and off the Andhra coast.

Several villages in coastal districts of Krishna, East and West Godavari have plunged into darkness as trees and electric poles have been uprooted by gale winds.

Close to 17,000 people have been evacuated. Elaborate arrangements have been made to provide food, water and medicines.