This bulletin is being issued for information only, and reflects the current situation and details available at this time. The Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), is monitoring the developing situation and at this stage is not seeking funding or other assistance from donors.
The situation
On 7 October a deep depression was formed over the North Andaman Sea, and has since turned into severe cyclonic storm named ‘Hudhud’, heading across the Bay of Bengal towards the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), it is likely to further intensify prior to making landfall on Sunday morning (12 October 2014) on the north Andhra Pradesh coast around Visakhapatnam. Any significant change of direction of the storm is not expected. When making landfall, the authorities predict maximum sustained surface wind speed will be around 170 km/h gusting to 180 km/h.
IMD have issued warnings for north Andhra Pradesh coast and south Odisha, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in the districts of west and east Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam districts of north Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Phulbani districts of south Odisha commencing from 11 October onwards. Sea condition will gradually deteriorate from very rough to phenomenal on 12 October in the morning. Storm surge of about 1-2 meters above astronomical tide would inundate low lying areas of Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam districts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh at the time of landfall. Some predictions put the potential storm surge much higher.
Damages are expected to kutcha[1] houses, alongside uprooting of large trees, partial disruption of power and communication lines and minor disruptions of the rail and road traffic. There is possibility of flooding of escape routes and damage to agricultural crops in low-lying coastal areas. IMD advised against fishing operations in area of cyclone influence, as well as evacuation from coastal areas.