Cyclonic Storm Hudhud, which made landfall in Andhra Pradesh yesterday, has moved northwestwards after weakening. The storm has crossed Odisha, passing through Mathili and Khairiput.

It now lays centered very close to Jagdalpur over south Chhattisgarh adjoining southwest Odisha. As per the latest information received from the MeT department, the cyclone would further move north-northwestwards and weaken gradually.

The wind speed has slowed down to 70 to 80 kms per hour. The MeT department said that Hudhud, which converted from a severe cyclonic storm to a cyclonic storm last night, will weaken into a deep depression by 11:30 this morning.

Heavy rainfall is predicted at a few places including Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam districts of north Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Phulbani districts of south Odisha during the next 24 hours.

Heavy to very heavy falls are also expected in north Chhattisgarh, east Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar during next 48 hrs.

Meanwhile, death toll due to cyclone has risen to 8, with two more deaths reported from Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts.

Visakhapatnam bore the brunt of the havoc yesterday, while the storm caused widespread damage in the north coastal districts of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram.