Cyclone Hudhud: As it happened on Sunday

• The toll in the aftermath of Cyclone Hudhud has increased to six.

• East Coast Railway (ECoR) announced tonight that three trains will start running each way on the Bhubaneswar-Palasa link from tomorrow. ECoR, however, cancelled, diverted and short terminated certain trains originating and passing through Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in view of the Cyclone Hudhud. "Bhubaneswar-Palasa link will resume in the morning of Monday. Three trains each way will operate for the benefit of daily passengers and office goers," an official of the ECoR said, PTI reported.

• Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik today assured his Naidu all help required by the neighbouring state, official sources said. Patnaik gave this assurance to Naidu when he called him over phone this evening.

• The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) again met this evening under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth and reviewed the situation of the affected districts in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha after landfall of Hudhud this afternoon. "According to preliminary assessment, the cyclone has left 6 people dead, 3 each in AP and Odisha. The communication services and power and electricity have been considerably damaged in the affected districts," an official statement said in Delhi - PTI.

• Today's operations are over, only emergency response will be undertaken during night if required, says NDRF, adding that 558 people were evacuated today and dead body of one-year-old child was recovered from debris. It also said that operations will resume from 5 am in the morning tomorrow.

• Naidu leaves for Vizag 'to supervise the operations'.

• On my way to Vizag. To stand by my people. Flew to vijayawada. Proceeding by road. Will be there to supervise the operations. — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) October 12, 2014

  Andhra Pradesh CM asks the Centre to declare the cyclone storm 'Hudhud' that hit the state's coast as a national calamity and also sought an ad hoc relief package of Rs 2,000 crore. At a review meeting on rescue and relief measures with heads of departments at secretariat in Hyderabad, Naidu said he has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard, PTI reported.

• Have apprised PM about the situation, will also talk to Odisha CM again, says Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Cyclone Hudhud.

• Surprised over sudden tidal surge in Puri and Kendrapara coasts last night much ahead of the Cyclone Hudhud's landfall at Vizag, the Odisha government today urged the Indian Meterological Department to study the unusual phenomenon.

• About 1.56 lakh people were evacuated to safety ahead of the storm making landfall but three deaths have been reported in Odisha under the impact of Hudhud, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra said. He added that the system was still active over Odisha and was likely to cross over to Chhattisgarh later tonight.

• Velocity of Cyclone Hudhud has come down to 90-100 Km/hour, says Ajit Seth, Cabinet Secretary. As far as AP is concerned, quick assessment will be done, restoration process will start after that, he adds.

• Cyclone Hudhud lost its intensity by evening as it moved further 60 km northwest of Visakhapatnam, the IMD said. Hudhud, which was so far a very severe cyclonic storm, has now converted into a severe cyclone and its speed is now limited to 100-110 kmph, said M Mahapatra, scientist at the Cyclone Warning Division of IMD.

• The Eastern Naval Command had been put on high alert to provide any assistance towards rescue and relief of affected persons. Towards this end the preparations made included readying ships, aircraft and diving teams. Indian Naval Ships Ranjit, Shivalik, Shakti and Airavat are ready to sail with relief material for 5000 personnel embarked onboard the ships. Additionally, four more ships have been kept ready for sailing at short notice for relief operations as required. Two Dornier fixed wing aircraft and six helicopters are also ready for deployment and one Long range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft (P 8I) has also kept standby for carrying out damage assessment once the cyclone passes and wind speeds reduce, as per PIB.

• #NCMC reviews the situation after the cyclone landfall . All Central agencies on full alert http://t.co/7VJHtpotXK #Hudhud — PIB India (@PIB_India) October 12, 2014

  Naidu is seeking to leverage modern communication technology through "crowd sourcing" to provide relief to the victims of cyclonic storm 'Hudhud'. The CM said that people can provide information on the cyclone damages by downloading an App and send pictures and videos through it, as per PTI.

• Receiving a call from PM enquiring about Cyclone Hudhud midway during a media briefing, Naidu thanked him for Centre's assistance.

• Cyclone Hudhud loses speed, winds now blowing at 120-130 kmph, says IMD.

• Chandrababu Naidu chaired a high level meeting on cyclone. 

• The death toll in Cyclone Hudhud has increased to five, reports PTI.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu and assured him all possible assistance.

• AP Deputy Chief Minister N Chinarajappa has said that nearly 90,000 people have been shifted to relief camps in four cyclone Hudhud-hit districts.

• Cyclone Hudhud has hit Jharkhand with comparatively low intensity, said Director MET Department BK Mandal.

• DG NDRF has said that there are chances of hilly rains which can cause flood. He further added that NDRF is working in the flood prone areas, ANI reported. 

• The death toll has reached three as Cyclone Hudhud crosses Visakhapatnam.
• We have offered whatever help possible from the Centre. Our next step will be to restore critical resources and then to rehabilitate, says Ajit Seth after holding Crisis Management Committee meeting.

• NDRF has sent additional teams to Vishakhapatnam. The total number of teams in the district are 13 now, as per PTI.

• 67752 people have been evacuated to 604 safe shelters. We are monitoring situation and taking precautions, says Naveen Patnaik.

• Helpline numbers released for Hudhud are: 08455885999, for Railway helpline– 01123342954, 23341072, 23341074, Odisha– 1948, Andhra Pradesh– 1949.

• Extensive damage has been reported in Visakhapatnam.

• Cyclone has badly affected Ganjam and Gajapati district in Odisha.

• Cyclone wind speed 170-180 kmph gusting up to 195 kmph in Andhra Pradesh coast, PTI reports.

• According to IMD Chief, PMO is monitoring situation arising out of the cyclone on an hourly basis.

• The impact of Cyclone Hudhud will remain for another six hours after which the wind speed is expected to reduce by 50 percent, but heavy rainfall will continue till October 15, 2014.

• Bihar, Chhatisgarh, MP and Jharkhand will also see rainfall, says DG IMD, RS Rathore. 

• Gajapati in Odisha is worst affected by the cyclone.

• 'Most of the damage is seen in Visakhapatnam. Though winds are not too strong in Odisha, heavy rainfall will be seen in south Odisha' said IMD.

• Wind speed is as high as 170 kmph in Visakhapatnam coast.

• Several structures and properties have got damaged as Hudhud makes landfall in Visakhapatnam.

• Home Minister Rajnath Singh had a telephonic conversation with Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Chief Ministers N Chandrababu Naidu and Naveen Patnaik to take stock of the situation.

  Had a telephonic conversations with the CMs of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh this morning. They briefed me about the situation on the ground. — Rajnath Singh (@BJPRajnathSingh) October 12, 2014

• Cyclone Hudhud has made landfall in Andhra Padesh coast, informs IMD.

• Two people have got killed as heavy rains lashed many areas in Visakhapatnam. While one was killed by a falling tree, another by a collapsing wall. 

• Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth will be holding a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee shortly.

• Outer edge of Hudhud has made landfall at Kailasagiri in Visakhapatanam. The wind speed has been recorded at 180 kmph, ANI reports.

• No casualties have been confirmed until now, informs DIG NDRF RK Rana to ANI.

• Five diving teams have been dispatched to Srikakulam, 10 teams to low lying areas in and around Visakhapatnam for rescue and relief operations, as per ANI.

• Part of DM office building in Visakhapatnam collapsed due to heavy rains.

• The cyclone is now less than 45 kms away from Visakhapatnam.

• After crossing coast, the cyclone will maintain its intensity, says Director of MET Department SC Sahoo.

• Four naval ships and 10 helicopters of Indian Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF) are ready for relief operations.

• The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS), run by the United Nations and the European Commission, forecast even higher peak wind speeds of 212 km/h, Reuters reported.

• More than one lakh people have been evacuated from several districts of Andhra Pradesh.

• Hudhud will hit the coastal area with a speed of 180 kmph at around 12:00 pm.

• The cyclone is 60 kms away from Andhra Pradesh coast, says India Meterological Department.

• Several trees have got uprooted in Visakhapatnam.
• An NDRF personnel told ANI that after 1:00 pm heavy waves and excessive rainfall is expected in the region.
• The speed of the wind has been measured up to 195-220Kmph.

As Cyclone Hudhud surges towards eastern coast, heavy rains have been lashing many areas of the coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha since Saturday.

The Andhra Pradesh government has identified 356 villages in 59 mandals of the four districts as cyclone-prone. More than 300 relief camps have been set up to overcome any challenge.

Meanwhile, many National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been rushed to various districts to skillfully handle any situation.

Train services to the coast also remained suspended due to the cyclone.