Odisha braces for Cyclone 'Hud Hud', landfall on October 12​; state govt sets 'zero casualty' target

Bhubaneswar: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Wednesday, confirmed the formation of Cyclonic storm 'Hud Hud' over north Andaman Sea and said that it will make landfall between Gopalpur in Odisha and Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on October 12.

“The deep depression over north Andaman Sea & neighbourhood moved west-northwestward, intensified into a Cyclonic Storm ‘HUD HUD’ and lay centered at 08:30 am IST on October 08 over north Andaman Sea near latitude12.3ºN and longitude 92.9ºE, close to Long Island,” the IMD said.

"It will cross east coast between Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Gopalpur in Odisha on the noon of October 12. The wind speed range is expected to be 130-140 kmph and may gust upto 155 kmph. It is not as severe as Phalian, but it is in the same category," Indian Meteorological Director General Laxman Singh Rathore in Delhi was quoted saying by PTI.

“It is now crossing Andaman & Nicobar Islands close to Long Island. Thereafter, the system would continue to move west-northwestwards, intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours and subsequently into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 36 hours. The system would cross north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Goplapur around noon of October 12,” the IMD bulletin said.

Meanwhile, according to a weather office statement issued in Visakhapatnam tonight, the depression would move West North-West and intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm in the next 36 hours.

'Cyclone Hudhud' is expected to cross North Andhra Pradesh and Orissa coasts between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur by noon on October 12, 2014, the statement said.

The cyclone has been named after Hudhud, an Afro-Eurasian which is the national bird of Israel, and is an official entry to the list of cyclone names contributed by Oman.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, yesterday, said the state government is fully prepared for the possible eventuality.

And today, the state government set a "zero casualty" target, making preparation on par with that made to deal with Cyclone Phailin last year.

"The Government will strive for zero casualty. District collectors must prepare immediately and keep the evacuation plan in respect to their districts ready, giving highest priority to most vulnerable villages/ habitations," said a spokesman of the special relief commissioner.

The state government which earned worldwide praise for effectively handling Cyclone Phailin last year, has taken Hudhud cyclone as a challenge. The casualty in the Phailin was around 20.

The state government has canceled leaves of its employees and put 16 coastal districts on alert. Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and fire service personnel are also preparing for the emerging situation.

The government also asked district authorities to open round-the-clock control room to coordinate with different departments.

The districts which have been alerted are Balasore, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Ganjam, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurdha, Nayagarh, Gajapati, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Malkangiri and Koraput districts, Deputy Relief Commissioner Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra said.

The Met Centre in Bhubnaeswar has advised fishermen who have ventured into deep sea to return to coast immediately.

With PTI inputs