Live updates: After Odisha, Cyclone Titli wreaks havoc in Andhra Pradesh, kills 8

Image Courtesy: ANI

After wreaking havoc in Odisha on Thursday, Cyclone Titli crossed over to Andhra Pradesh causing widespread damage in Srikakulam district and killing at least two people.

In Odisha, the 'very severe' cyclonic storm uprooted trees and electric poles and damaged hutments in Odisha's Ganjam and Gajapati districts but no loss of life was reported from any part of the state, officials said.

The cyclone also triggered heavy to very heavy rainfall in Ganjam, Gajapati, and Puri districts of Odisha, causing minor damage to power and communication. "There has been no major damage or report of casualty received from any part of the state so far. Some destruction was reported from Ganjam and Gajapati districts," Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said.

Power supply and telephone links got disrupted and road communication snapped due to uprooted trees at many places of Gajapati district, the SRC said.

In Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said that scores of trees and power poles were uprooted as heavy rains lashed. Rainfall ranging from 2 cm to 26 cm was recorded in several mandals of the district even as road communication network was vastly affected.

The State Road Transport Corporation suspended its bus services as uprooted trees caused roadblocks at several places. Transport Minister K Atchannaidu, who hails from Srikakulam, visited the affected mandals and is monitoring the situation.

Here are the live updates:

11 October 2018

23:40 PM

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Home Minister Rajnath Singh today and thanked him for the role played by NDRF during operations in Odisha. Home Minister has assured a continued support from Centre in disaster management, rehabilitation and reconstruction work in Odisha.

17:52 PM

More than 2000 electric poles collapsed, hampering the power supply in most parts of the two districts. Roads have also been badly damaged, disrupting the transport between coastal villages and the mainland.

17:51 PM

In East Godavari district, out of 67 boats went for fishing, 65 returned on time. The remaining two boats remain trapped in the sea, with the officials trying to rescue them to the shore.

16:32 PM

Video released by ANI shows Cyclone Titli causing havoc in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam. The cyclone damaged the property and uprooted trees.

#WATCH:Trees uprooted, property damaged in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam due to #TitliCyclone.The cyclone made landfall early morning today. pic.twitter.com/09Fjx8QwGI

— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2018

16:29 PM

A video of Titli Cyclone in Srikakulam district from earlier today.

#WATCH: Latest visuals from Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam. #TitliCyclone made a landfall in the region early morning today. pic.twitter.com/ckoGJblyti

— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2018

16:15 PM

Visuals from Palasa railway station in Srikakulam district were released by ANI. Cyclone Titli hit the region earlier.

Andhra Pradesh: Visuals from Palasa railway station in Srikakulam district as #CycloneTitli hits the region. pic.twitter.com/yLPLvY57O3

— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2018

15:54 PM

Immediately after landfall, it was 140-150 kmph. Gradually, it was weakening. Now it will come down to 50-60 kmph. It'll prevail till evening today&may be for sometime after night: Srinivas, Duty Officer, Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre on #TitliCyclone pic.twitter.com/R1idOwyswB

— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2018

15:47 PM

North-east districts of Jharkhand have been affected due to Title Cyclone. Director of IMD Ranchi, Jharkhand BK Mandal warned about the downpour in Ranchi saying that it will continue till tomorrow.

15:43 PM

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea after warning of very rough to high conditions over west central Bay of Bengal and north Andhra Pradesh was released by Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre.

14:53 PM

At least 8 people have died in Srikakulam and Vijayanagaram districts in Andhra Pradesh. Power supply and communication systems have been affected in both districts. The coastal villages are cut off from the mainland as the roads have been damaged.

13:41 PM

NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed in Srikakulam and neighbouring Vizianagaram districts to take up rescue and relief operations. The SDMA has set up a toll-free telephone no. 18004250101 at its Emergency Operations Centre to assist people in distress, while control rooms have been opened in the three north coastal districts.

13:41 PM

The State Road Transport Corporation suspended its bus services as uprooted trees caused roadblocks at several places. Transport Minister K Atchannaidu, who hails from Srikakulam, visited the affected mandals and is monitoring the situation. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu conducted a tele-conference with district authorities and instructed them to remain on high alert. "Every hour from now on is very crucial.Focus should be on relief measures and restoration of communication network.Care should be taken to prevent spread of communicable diseases," Naidu said.

13:40 PM

The 'very severe' cyclonic storm 'Titli' left two persons dead besides causing widespread damage in Srikakulam district, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said.  Scores of trees and power poles were uprooted as heavy rains lashed Srikakulam district under the influence of the storm, the SDMA said. Rainfall ranging from 2 cm to 26 cm was recorded in several mandals of the district even as road communication network was vastly affected.

11:11 AM

Government and authorities are on alert. It is the need of the hour for everyone to come forward. I am confident that this crisis will be handled in a proper way with everyone's support: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Cyclone Titli in Odisha

10:45 AM

A fishing boat with 5 fishermen onboard capsized in Gopalpur owing to the severe cyclonic storm. However, one of the three disaster and rescue teams operating in Gopalpur Paradip area rescued all five fishermen and brought them to safety, according to the Indian Coast Guard.

10:21 AM

As part of its pre-cyclone preparedness, the Odisha government has evacuated over 3 lakh people living in low-lying areas of the five coastal districts ahead of the landfall. They were accommodated in 1,112 cyclone shelters. Altogether, 105 pregnant women in Ganjam district and 18 in Jagatsinghpur have been shifted to hospitals, the SRC said. He said 13 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) have been deployed at several places along with fire brigade.

10:20 AM

An hour after the landfall, Gopalpur in Odisha reported surface wind at 126 kmph, Kalingapatanam in Andhra Pradesh recorded wind speed of 56 kmph. As cyclone 'Titli' entered the land mass, some districts, including Ganjam, Gajapati and Puri, are receiving good amount of rainfall coupled with high speed wind. Director of Meteorological (MeT) Centre Bhubaneswar H R Biswas said the "very severe cyclonic storm" (VSCS) is being monitored by the coastal Doppler Weather Radars at Visakhapatnam, Gopalpur and Paradip.

10:15 AM

The latest India Meteorological Department (IMD) report had said cyclone 'Titli made the landfall between 4.30 and 5.30 am in south-west coast of Gopalpur near Palasa in Andhra Pradesh with an estimated maximum sustained surface wind speed of 140-150 kmph gusting to 165 kmph. The landfall process has been completed and "the centre of eye of cyclone 'Titli' lies over the land," the IMD said. The system is now moving northeastwards towards Gangetic West Bengal across Odisha and it will weaken gradually, it said.

10:04 AM

Cyclone 'Titli' triggered heavy to very heavy rainfall in Ganjam, Gajapati and Puri districts of Odisha, while damage of hutments and asbestos-roofed houses, street lights, road blockade due to uprooted trees were reported from Ganjam. Road communication between Paralakhemundi and Mohana and some other block headquarters in Gajapati had been disrupted under the impact of the cyclone. In Ganjam, reports of damage to hutments and other structures and uprooting of trees were received from some areas.

09:57 AM

Power supply and telephone links got disrupted and road communication snapped due to uprooted trees at many places of Gajapati district, said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi. Efforts are on to clear roads blocked by uprooted trees and restore power supply in affected areas at the earliest. In all, eight districts - Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore - have been affected by "very severe cyclone Titli".

09:50 AM

Cyclone Titli uprooted trees and electric poles and damaged hutments in Odisha's Ganjam and Gajapati districts after making landfall. The cyclone also triggered heavy rainfall in at least three districts and caused minor damage to power and communication. However, no loss of life was reported from any part of the state, officials said. "There has been no major damage or report of casualty received from any part of the state so far. Some destruction was reported from Ganjam and Gajapati districts," Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said.

08:44 AM

The cyclone is moving at a speed of 140-150 km per hour. Odisha's Gopalpur reported 102 km per hour and Andhra Pradesh's Kalingapatnam reported 56 km per hour surface wind speed. Watch early morning visuals of the cyclone.

#WATCH: Early morning visuals of #TitliCyclone making landfall in Srikakulam's Vajrapu Kotturu. #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/x7H4yoF7ez

— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2018

08:43 AM

The surface wind reached speeds of 126 kmph at Gopalpur in Odisha's Ganjam district, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. "The process of landfall has started and it will completely cross the Odisha coast in one or two hours. The system will pass close to Gopalpur," said H R Biswas, Director of Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar. The IMD said, "The forward sector of the eye of the storm has been entering into the land mass."

08:38 AM

Watch: Cyclone Titli makes landfall at Gopalpur in Odisha. People are rushing to safety at Ganjam as cyclone lashes area. 10,000 people from low lying areas had been evacuated to government shelters till last night.

#WATCH: #TitliCyclone makes landfall in Gopalpur. #Odisha pic.twitter.com/x49MsPkU9U

— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2018