It’s super cyclone

Over one crore evacuated in Odisha and 64,000 in AP.

• Centred about 450 km southeast of Gopalpur

• Odisha to bear the brunt; northern AP coast too

• Ganjam, Puri, Khordha and Jagatsinghapur in Odisha and Srikakulam in AP face threat

• To make landfall close to Gopalpur in Odisha

• Wind speed of at least 220 kmph expected

• Storm surge of up to 15 feet likely on landfall

• 850 cyclone shelter centres set up in Andhra Pradesh

• NDRF personnel deployed; Armed forces kept on alert

• Reports say storm is nearly half the size of India

• A severe cyclone in 1999 killed over 15,000 in Odisha,

Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on Friday put the entire official machinery on high alert and are bracing for the “very severe" cyclone that is expected to hit the east coast with winds gusting up to 220 kmph on Saturday evening.

Phailin is likely to cross the north Andhra Pradesh Coast and Odisha Coast between Kalingapatnam and Paradip, close to Gopalpur (Odisha) by Saturday evening.

Five districts are in the eye of the storm with IMD Chief Dr L S Rathore identifying Ganjam, Khurda, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts in Odisha and Srikakalum in AP as those that is likely to be worst hit.

Rathore said the cyclone storm over east central Bay of Bengal currently lay 450 km southeast of Gopalpur and warned that it would be accompanied by a storm surge of up to three metres in the districts that will bear the brunt. Evacuation of people from the low-lying areas has been taken up well in advance as it is expected to bring in storm surge with a height of 2.5-3 metres above astronomical tide threatening to inundate low-lying areas of Srikakulam district. Over one crore people in Odisha and 65,000 in Andhra Pradesh are being evacuated and shifted to safer places.

It is initially proposed to evacuate approximately 65 thousand people from low lying areas in North coastal AP from this mid-day onwards. All necessary Essential Commodities like rice, kerosene, drinking water were positioned.

In all, 15 teams of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) personnel with Rescue, Evacuation Equipments were positioned. Army and Air Force Authorities were already alerted and kept ready to move to the affected pockets to join rescue and relief operations on intimation.

CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the intensity of cyclone and the preparedness of the official machinery. Chief Secretary P K Mohanty, Commissioner, Disaster Management, T Radha and other officials appraised him of the situation prevailing in the coastal districts.

Cyclone shelters

Some 850 cyclone shelters were set up in Coastal districts, according to Minister for Revenue N Raghuveera Reddy. He said the coastal areas would be experience heavy rains accompanied by gales at a speed of 205-215 kilometer for the next 48 hours.

People have been evacuated from the vulnerable pockets in three North Coastal districts including Srikakulam, Viziangaram and Visakhapatnam. Giving a district wise break up, he said that so far 40,000 people were moved to cyclone shelters in Visakhapatnam. In all 4000 people were shifted from Vizianagaram and 20,000 from Srikakulam districts. Revenue Minister said that the all the staff who were in coastal districts were given Airtel and BSNL connections to for updating the authorities from time to time.