The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Hud-Hud’ made its landfall off Visakhapatnam coast today morning affecting 320 villages in 44 mandals spread across the four district of north coastal Andhra.

About 1.35 lakh people have been shifted to safety in four districts, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari. 24 NDRF teams have been involved in rescue and relief operations.

AIR Vaishakhapatnam correspondent reports 223 rehabilitation centres are functioning with 155 medical camps opened to contain spread of epidemics.
Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts are still under the grip of heavy down pour with strong winds blowing across uprooting trees, electrical and communication towers.

Flooding of channels has been reported from Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts due storm surge and at some places road have been cut-off. Power and communication lines have got snapped and mobile phones have stopped ringing. The break down in power supply also affected supply of drinking water in many areas.

The Railway department is reviewing the situation from time to time. The South Central Railways have cancelled 62 trains while 51 trains have been diverted between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. While Garib Rath, Godavari, Visakha, and Tirumala express trains have been cancelled, some other trains are diverted via Vijayawada, Kazipet, Balarsha and Nagpur.

In East Godavari district the Kakinada-Uppada highway has got severly damaged.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is reaching Vijayawada by chopper this evening, where from he will go to Visakhapatnam by road via Rajahmundry to assess the situation.

He has said that his government will stand by the people in the hour of the crisis.

Meanwhile, Cyclone Hudhud loses speed. According to Indian Met Department, the winds are now blowing at 120-130kmph.