Vishakhapatnam, 12 October 2014: The eye of very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud crossed the East coast of india at INS Kalinga, North of Vishakhapatnam, between Vishakhapatnam and Bheemilipatnam today (12 Oct 14) at about 1130 hrs. The cyclone had been moving at a speed of approx 20 kmph with wind speeds of the order of 180 kmph. The winds reduced considerably as the eye of the storm passed over the region. However, the rainfall is likely to continue for next 24 hours.
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.
In the meantime naval diving teams have been deployed in and around Vishakhapatnam for carrying out rescue and relief operations. As many as 14 diving teams have been deployed to Srikakulam, Ankapalle, and around Vizag. Additional 30 teams are ready for deployment at short notice as required.
In addition approximately 250 NDRF and 300 Army troops have been deployed in/ around Visakhapatnam. Army columns have also been deployed in North Andhra at Achutapuram, Palasa and at Etcherla. The IAF has provided a mobile communication team as part of the contingency preparedness procedure. The IAF mobile communication team has been kept standby at INS Circars.
The naval base at Vishakhapatnam has seen some storm damage with approximately 30-40% trees uprooted inside Naval Station and some naval installations on Dolphin Hill have suffered damage.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi chairing an emergency high-level meeting to review the preparedness for Cyclone HudHud, in New Delhi
Indian Armed Forces Ready to Launch Relief and Rescue Operations After Cyclone ‘Hudhud’ Strikes Indian Coast
After the cyclone ‘Hudhud’ struck the northern coast of Andhra Pradesh near Visakhapatnam today afternoon, the Armed Forces have repositioned their assets and waiting for the civil administration’s directions to launch rescue and relief operations in the cyclone affected regions of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
In the meantime, Andhra Sub Area of Army has deployed four teams of its personnel at Vishakhapatnam and four teams at Srikakulam (Tikli and Echerla). 300 Life Jackets, 12 Bauts, four Baps and eight OBMs are provided to them. Army has established a Disaster Management Cell at Air Defence College, Gopalpur. Six teams and ten Sub teams have been deployed for Road Opening Party and launching rescue and relief operations at Gopalpur. Army has also kept 25 rescue teams and two Engineer Task Forces on standby at Ranchi, Allahabad and Secunderabad.
Indian Navy has also positioned its assets and personnel in some of the important areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh including Chilka and Vishakhapatnam, for relief and rescue operation, which will be coordinated by Naval Officer-in-Charge, Odisha and Naval Officer-in-Charge Andhra Pradesh, respectively. It has kept 30 diving teams with Gemini craft and associated equipment, 20 rescue teams, four ships with Medical Bricks and medical stores, six helicopters and two fixed winged aircrafts and two medical teams ready at Vishakhapatnam for undertaking rescue and relief operations.
Indian Air Force has already geared itself up to undertake relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations as and when required. To bolster the transport efforts, IAF has kept one IL-76, one C-17 and five AN-32 aircraft ready at Chandigarh, Delhi, Jorhat and Agra. Keeping the rescue operations in mind it has kept in standby mode three Chetak at Hakimpet, one Medium Light Helicopter (Mi-8) at Yelahanka and ten Medium Light Helicopters (Mi-17) at Nagpur, Hyderabad, Kalaikunda, Suratgarh, Bagdogra and Barrackpore.
Indian Coast Guard has also deployed 17 ships, two Air Cushion Vessels (ACVs) and 13 aircraft in Eastern and North-Eastern regions to augment the rescue and relief operations, wherever required. Out of 17 ships, six ships and five aircraft have been stationed at Chennai, three ships at Kakinada, three at Vishakhapatnam, four ships at Paradip, one ship, two ACVs and four aircraft at Haldia and four aircraft at Kolkata. Three rescue teams of Indian Coast Guard are also kept on standby at Vishakhapatnam, Kakinada and Gopalpur.
As the exact nature and magnitude of devastation is yet to emerge completely, the state authorities are now monitoring the route and velocity of the cyclone closely. The contour and the magnitude of relief operations by the armed forces in these two states will be shaped accordingly.
NCMC reviews the situation after the cyclone landfall
Centre keeps all its agencies on full alert to provide necessary assistance to the states
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) met again today evening under the Chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth and reviewed the situation of the affected districts in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha after landfall of the cyclonic storm ‘Hudhud’ this afternoon.
According to preliminary assessment, the cyclone has left 6 people dead, 3 each in A.P and Odisha. The Communication services and power and electricity have been considerably damaged in the affected districts.
A detailed assessment will be carried out as soon as the wind speed is reduced and the roads are cleared. The Centre has kept its all agencies on full alert to provide necessary assistance to the states.
Meanwhile, 2 more NDRF teams have started moving from Odisha towards Srikakulam by road.
NDRF teams have evacuated about 11,300 persons (1,300- Visakhapatnam, 2,500 – Vijaynagaram and 7,500 persons from East Godavari district) of Andhra Pradesh and 1,400 persons (40- Kendrapada, 50- Ganjam,500- Puri and 813 in Koraput) from Odisha. Apart from above, medical check-up of 50 marooned persons carried out at Gupti village of Kendrapada district in Odisha.
