10:21 am: As many as 52,000 locals were today evacuated and 25,000 people accommodated in cyclone shelters in Srikakulam district in view of Cyclone Phailin which is expected to cross the shore by this evening.
09:45 am: Foreign media is keeping a close eye on super cyclone Phailin. While CNN has already compared the super cyclone with hurricane Katrina which hit US in 2005, the BBC has categorised it as "very severe."
09:45 am: Foreign media is keeping a close eye on super cyclone Phailin. While CNN has already compared the super cyclone with hurricane Katrina which hit US in 2005, the BBC has categorised it as "very severe."
08: 16 am: NDMA says situation is much worse than they anticipated. Over 2 lakh people have been evacuated from Odisha; 64,000 from Andhra Pradesh.
7.30 am: Deep depression over Bay of Bengal intensifies further
The cyclonic storm over west central and adjoining east central Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards during past 6 hours and lay centred at 0230 hrs IST on Friday over west central and adjoining eastcentral Bay of Bengal near latitude 17.10 N and longitude 86.80 E, about 355 km south-southeast of Paradip, 320 km southeast of Gopalpur, and 315 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam. It would move northwestwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Paradip, close to Gopalpur (Odisha) by evening today as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 210-220 kmph.
6.32 am: Cyclone Phailin likely to affect five districts in Odisha
The coastal districts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have geared up to tackle any eventuality as cyclone Phailin reached within striking distance of the east coast. The "super storm" lay centred at 500 km away from Paradip and is expected to hit the Odisha coast around 6 pm today.
Five districts in Odisha are in the path of the storm. The meteorological department has identified Ganjam, Khurda, Puri and Jagatsinghpur as those likely to be worst hit. See more here
The Andhra Pradesh government has readied its machinery to deal with the impact of the cyclone which is expected to cause damage in coastal districts of the state. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has reviewed the government's preparedness to face the impact of the cyclone and directed officials to take all precautionary measures.
Authorities have begun evacuating 64,000 people from the low-lying areas of three vulnerable districts in Andhra Pradesh, state Revenue Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy said. Emergency food supplies and makeshift shelters were also being readied in the vulnerable districts. Disaster management teams were also kept in readiness.
The wind speed of the cyclone, which will make landfall possibly near Gopalpur in Odisha this evening, is around 230km per hour. "It will be almost as severe as the super cyclone of 1999," said a Met official. As rains lashed many parts of Odisha, including Bubaneshwar, windy condition prevailed in several coastal districts such as Puri, Balasore and Ganjam.
"Danger signal has been hoisted at major ports, including Paradip and Gopalpur, since we expect that the big storm would surge with waves rising to a height of three metres," said the official.
The coastal districts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have geared up to tackle any eventuality as cyclone Phailin reached within striking distance of the east coast. The "super storm" lay centred at 500 km away from Paradip and is expected to hit the Odisha coast around 6 pm today.
Five districts in Odisha are in the path of the storm. The meteorological department has identified Ganjam, Khurda, Puri and Jagatsinghpur as those likely to be worst hit. See more here
The Andhra Pradesh government has readied its machinery to deal with the impact of the cyclone which is expected to cause damage in coastal districts of the state. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has reviewed the government's preparedness to face the impact of the cyclone and directed officials to take all precautionary measures.
Authorities have begun evacuating 64,000 people from the low-lying areas of three vulnerable districts in Andhra Pradesh, state Revenue Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy said. Emergency food supplies and makeshift shelters were also being readied in the vulnerable districts. Disaster management teams were also kept in readiness.
The wind speed of the cyclone, which will make landfall possibly near Gopalpur in Odisha this evening, is around 230km per hour. "It will be almost as severe as the super cyclone of 1999," said a Met official. As rains lashed many parts of Odisha, including Bubaneshwar, windy condition prevailed in several coastal districts such as Puri, Balasore and Ganjam.
"Danger signal has been hoisted at major ports, including Paradip and Gopalpur, since we expect that the big storm would surge with waves rising to a height of three metres," said the official.
Chief Relief Commissioner Pradipta Mohapatra said teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) had already been moved to 14 most-vulnerable districts that include Khurda, Puri, Ganjam, Kendrapara, Nayagarh, Bhadrak and Balasore.
"District administrations have been asked to stock adequate food and medicines and evacuation of people from vulnerable areas, especially those located near the coast, has begun," said Mohapatra.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has called off his Delhi visit in view of the impending natural calamity on Friday, has cancelled the puja vacations of all government employees and sought the help of defence forces. He has written to Defence Minister A.K. Antony, urging him to keep the IAF and the Navy ready to help the state tackle the situation, if the storm wreaks havoc.
Odisha government has sought support of RBI to facilitate government payments towards relief expenditure in view of the severe cyclonic storm Phailin all set to hit land near Gopalpur in Ganjam district, official sources said.
In his letter to the regional director Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) UN Behera said: "Treasuries of all the cyclone prone districts will remain open during the Puja holidays to facilitate processing of bills relating to emergent relief expenditure."
"You are requested to issue suitable instructions to the agency banks transacting government business to be in preparedness to carry out government payments relating to relief expenditure from October 12-14 and on other holidays to ensure flow of funds for relief activities," Behera said.
The Finance department has also directed the engineer-in-chief (electrical) to ensure uninterrupted power supply to treasuries as well as the directorate of treasuries, since treasuries will remain open to facilitate government payments for relief activities.
The state government has already cancelled Puja holidays for its four lakh employees in view of the impending calamity.
11.45 pm: High alert in AP's East Godavari dist
High alert has been sounded in East Godavari district to deal with the impact of the cyclonic storm 'Phailin', which is expected to cause damage in coastal districts of the state. Special control rooms have been opened at Kakinada, Rajahmundry and at Amalapuram by the transport department to provide vehicles in case of emergency.
The district collector said that 63 relief camps have been set up in the district and 13 special officers have been deployed to monitor the situation on the sea coast.
High alert has been sounded in East Godavari district to deal with the impact of the cyclonic storm 'Phailin', which is expected to cause damage in coastal districts of the state. Special control rooms have been opened at Kakinada, Rajahmundry and at Amalapuram by the transport department to provide vehicles in case of emergency.
The district collector said that 63 relief camps have been set up in the district and 13 special officers have been deployed to monitor the situation on the sea coast.
11.15 pm: People flee before cyclone hits Odisha coast
Carrying their baggage, thousands of people are leaving the port town of Paradip to escape the wrath of the severe cyclonic storm 'Phailin' which is expected to make landfall in Odisha in less than 24 hours.
The people, most of them workers of different industries including Oil Refinery of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Paradip Port Trust (PPT), Paradip Phosphates Limited (PPL), IFFCO and Essar steel plant, have started vacating the town since yesterday.
"Over 30,000 people vacated the town since yesterday and it is still continuing," official sources said. The port town of Paraip in Jagatsinghpur was the epicentre of 1999 Super Cyclone with Ersame block bearing the maximum brunt of the natural disaster. With the horrendous experience of 1999 still haunting them, no one wants to take anything for granted, retired government officer Yudhistir Mohanty said.
The people, most of them workers of different industries including Oil Refinery of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Paradip Port Trust (PPT), Paradip Phosphates Limited (PPL), IFFCO and Essar steel plant, have started vacating the town since yesterday.
"Over 30,000 people vacated the town since yesterday and it is still continuing," official sources said. The port town of Paraip in Jagatsinghpur was the epicentre of 1999 Super Cyclone with Ersame block bearing the maximum brunt of the natural disaster. With the horrendous experience of 1999 still haunting them, no one wants to take anything for granted, retired government officer Yudhistir Mohanty said.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Paradip, Madhabananda Sahu said people were not willing to listen despite their efforts to convince them that Paradip and its adjoining area would not be affected by the storm like 1999.
Meanwhile, at least seven ships which had been anchored in the dockyards were sent to the deep sea to ward off possible damage of ships after being hit into hard objects in the dock. A control room has been brought up at the signal station of the Port to keep round-the-clock watch and vigil. The marine department has been kept on alert to meet with exigencies of the situation, an official said.
The PPT authorities have cancelled leaves of all its employees. They have been directed to remain on alert and report on duty as and when asked for, said PPT chairman, Sudhansu Sekhara Mishra.
Similarly, construction work of the oil refinery had also been affected after the workers, most of them outsiders, left the place, official sources said.
The authorities were evacuating people living in vulnerable pockets including Sandhakuda, Atharabanki and Nehrubunglaw to safer places.
The Jagatsinghpur district collector S K Mallick said the administration was initiating all measures to meet the situation and evacuation was continuing on war footing.
Sea side Ersame block, battered by the Super Cyclone, was on the priority list of the administration with the people, particularly Ambiki, Padmapur, Kankana, Sankha, Gadaharispur villages, being shifted to safer places, Mallick said adding adequate relief material including free kitchen made available to them.
Meanwhile, at least seven ships which had been anchored in the dockyards were sent to the deep sea to ward off possible damage of ships after being hit into hard objects in the dock. A control room has been brought up at the signal station of the Port to keep round-the-clock watch and vigil. The marine department has been kept on alert to meet with exigencies of the situation, an official said.
The PPT authorities have cancelled leaves of all its employees. They have been directed to remain on alert and report on duty as and when asked for, said PPT chairman, Sudhansu Sekhara Mishra.
Similarly, construction work of the oil refinery had also been affected after the workers, most of them outsiders, left the place, official sources said.
The authorities were evacuating people living in vulnerable pockets including Sandhakuda, Atharabanki and Nehrubunglaw to safer places.
The Jagatsinghpur district collector S K Mallick said the administration was initiating all measures to meet the situation and evacuation was continuing on war footing.
Sea side Ersame block, battered by the Super Cyclone, was on the priority list of the administration with the people, particularly Ambiki, Padmapur, Kankana, Sankha, Gadaharispur villages, being shifted to safer places, Mallick said adding adequate relief material including free kitchen made available to them.
10.45: West Bengal on high alert
Southern districts of West Bengal were on Friday evening put on high alert. Teams of NDRF and Civil Defence alerted in Diamond Harbour and Contai alongwith South 24 parganas and East Midnapore district.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has offered help to Odisha.
Southern districts of West Bengal were on Friday evening put on high alert. Teams of NDRF and Civil Defence alerted in Diamond Harbour and Contai alongwith South 24 parganas and East Midnapore district.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has offered help to Odisha.
10.25 pm: Phailin likely to make landfall at 6 pm on Oct 12: IMD
As the countdown for the cyclone Phailin begins, the IMD expected its landfall will take place at about 6 pm tomorrow.
"We expect that the cyclone Phailin will make landfall at about 6 pm on Saturday, October 12," Dr Mrutunjay Mohapatra, Chief of India's Cyclone Warning Division, said.
Mohapatra said as the system (cyclone) is moving inside the sea at the rate of 15 km per hour and lay centred at 5.30 pm at 400 km southeast of Gopalpur, it was expected that it would make landfall at 6 pm.
Phailin, which had already been categorised as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS), has been moving inside the sea where wind speed is about 210-220 kmph with gusting of 230 kmph.
The system will move tomorrow at 5.30 am when the wind speed inside the sea remains 210-220 kmph with gusting 235 kmph. The situation and circumstances will remain same till it makes landfall with a speed of 210 to 220 kmph with gusting 235 kmph.
After hitting the land, the system will weaken into severe cyclonic storm from its previous status of a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. Then, the IMD data said, the wind speed will remain between 90 kmph to 110 kmph gusting to 110 kmph at about 5.30 am on next day (13 October).
At about 5.30 am on October 13, the wind speed would be 50 to 60 kmph to gusting 70 kmph. The system would again lose strength and become a deep depression.
Next day on October 14, the system will further lose intensity and turn into only a depression with wind speed of 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph.
Under the impact of the Phailin, many places of Odisha will experience heavy rainfall leading to flood in some area, it said.
10.00 pm: Festive season gives way to panic
A grand preparation for a six-day merrymaking turned into panic buying to store essentials for at least seven days in view of the imminent deluge that is going to hit Odisha coast in the form of severe cyclone called 'Phailin' in next 24 hours.
A few days ago, people of this city were making purchases for dresses and other luxury items for the Durga Puja celebrations.
But the warning from weathermen that the cyclonic storm would be at the threshold of very severe cyclone, the memories of 1999 super cyclone returned to haunt them with their festive mood giving way to fright and downcast.
The Durga puja, tipped to be the biggest annual extravaganza of the city, has been badly affected as people, instead of going pandal-hopping, have decided to remain indoors as incessant rains began to lash the city in the evening with frequent power cuts.
Sensing as to what is in store for them for next four to five days, the entire city is now witnessing lull before the storm.
Known for its unique brotherhood, people of both Hindu and Muslim communities have joined together in offering prayers in Temples and Masjids to protect the people of the state from the fearsome storm.
The Puja organisers at various mandaps hoping that Goddess Durga, invoked at their mandaps two days ago, would come to their rescue in the hours of crisis.
"We are sure the Maa (Goddess Durga) would come to our rescue and the people of the State meet any eventuality by the grace of almighty", said the city peace committee secretary Bhikari Das.
A Muslim devotee, after the mass prayers in a Masjid, said he has fervently appealed to Allah to protect the people of Cuttack city from the imminent cyclone.
Meanwhile, the massive police arrangements made in the city for the Durga puja have been instructed to help the people of the city during the storm and help the district administration in rescue and relief operations after the cyclone.
The puja committee members have also been instructed to ensure that the welcome arches and decorations they have made at their mandaps do not block the roads after they are ravaged in the cyclone.
9.20 pm: Over 1,600 NDRF personnel deployed for Odisha, AP
More than 1,600 NDRF personnel have been dispatched to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh as part of preparations to handle the possible fallout of the "very severe" cyclone Phailin that is set to make landfall tomorrow.
"While 14 teams (559 personnel and 37 boats) are deployed at different locations in preparedness for impending cyclonic storm Phailin in Andhra Pradesh, 23 teams (950 personnel and 80 boats) are deployed at different locations in Odisha," National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Vice-Chairman Shashidhar Reddy said.
He added that extra teams of NDRF with manpower and equipment have been deployed. "We are ready to provide whatever help the state government asks for. We have also appealed to people to be ready for evacuation in short notice," he said. "Windspeed as per latest bulletin is going to be more than initial prediction," Reddy said.
He said 20,000 people in Srikakulam and 40,000 in Vishakapattnam have been evacuated.
Medical teams of Union Health Ministry are also getting ready to travel to the two states at a short notice.
The other regions which are expected to be affected by the cyclone include North Chhattisgarh, South Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and gangetic West Bengal.
More than 1,600 NDRF personnel have been dispatched to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh as part of preparations to handle the possible fallout of the "very severe" cyclone Phailin that is set to make landfall tomorrow.
"While 14 teams (559 personnel and 37 boats) are deployed at different locations in preparedness for impending cyclonic storm Phailin in Andhra Pradesh, 23 teams (950 personnel and 80 boats) are deployed at different locations in Odisha," National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Vice-Chairman Shashidhar Reddy said.
He added that extra teams of NDRF with manpower and equipment have been deployed. "We are ready to provide whatever help the state government asks for. We have also appealed to people to be ready for evacuation in short notice," he said. "Windspeed as per latest bulletin is going to be more than initial prediction," Reddy said.
He said 20,000 people in Srikakulam and 40,000 in Vishakapattnam have been evacuated.
Medical teams of Union Health Ministry are also getting ready to travel to the two states at a short notice.
The other regions which are expected to be affected by the cyclone include North Chhattisgarh, South Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and gangetic West Bengal.
"Around 1.2 crore people are expected to be affected by the cyclone," he said.
Reddy said authorities have to gear up to a situation where a lot of damage can be expected and crops, roads, houses are likely to be affected.
Reddy said authorities have to gear up to a situation where a lot of damage can be expected and crops, roads, houses are likely to be affected.
9.15 pm: 'IMD underestimating Phailin's strength'
Meteorologist Eric Holthaus tweeted: "New IMD fcst ("Red Message"): 210-220 kph, 3-3.5m storm surge. Still underestimating #Phailin's strength by 35-40kph."
9.10 pm:Alert level for cyclone raised as "Red"
5.25 pm: Landfall forecast revised
The IMD has issued another bulletin saying Phailin's landfall at the Odisha coast is now expected around 5.30 pm tomorrow evening, 30 minutes earlier than their previous forecast.
5.00 pm: Odisha CM appeals people not to panic over cyclone
The east coast braced on Friday for a cyclone covering half the size of the country, with tens of thousands of residents in low-lying areas fleeing their homes after authorities forecast a risk to life and extensive damage once the storm hits land.
Satellite images showed Cyclone Phailin 600 km off the coast in the Bay of Bengal and likely to make landfall on Saturday evening. The images showed the storm covering an area roughly half the size of India.
Some forecasters likened its size and intensity to that of hurricane Katrina, which devastated the U.S. Gulf coast and New Orleans in 2005.
4.45 pm: Phailin landfall northeast of Visakhapatnam
Joint Typhoon Warning Center, basd in the US, said Tropical Cyclone 02B or Phailin is forecast to make landfall northeast of Visakhapatnam and will erode as it tracks northwards
Here is the warning:
"Tropical Cyclone 02B (Phailin), located approximately 390 nautical miles south of Kolkata, has tracked northwestward at 05 knots over the past six hours.
Joint Typhoon Warning Center, basd in the US, said Tropical Cyclone 02B or Phailin is forecast to make landfall northeast of Visakhapatnam and will erode as it tracks northwards
Here is the warning:
"Tropical Cyclone 02B (Phailin), located approximately 390 nautical miles south of Kolkata, has tracked northwestward at 05 knots over the past six hours.
The Andhra Pradesh government is gearing up to deal with the impact of the cyclonic storm Phailin, which is expected to cause damage in coastal districts of the state.
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has reviewed the government's preparedness to face the impact of the cyclone and directed officials to take all precautionary measures.
Reports from coastal districts said it was raining and that the sea was rough. Heavy rains have begun under the influence of the system.
However, the impact of the cyclone is expected to be felt more in Odisha.
A round-the-clock control room has already been opened in the Secretariat here and district collectors have been told to take all necessary measures to deal with the situation.
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has reviewed the government's preparedness to face the impact of the cyclone and directed officials to take all precautionary measures.
Reports from coastal districts said it was raining and that the sea was rough. Heavy rains have begun under the influence of the system.
However, the impact of the cyclone is expected to be felt more in Odisha.
A round-the-clock control room has already been opened in the Secretariat here and district collectors have been told to take all necessary measures to deal with the situation.
Finally, Odisha opens control rooms for cyclone
With countdown beginning for the 'super cyclone-like' calamity to hit Odisha coast, the state government today set up control rooms to make availble information, official sources said.
The helpline number of the Odisha Central Control Room is 0674-2534177, the sources said.
The district control room mumbers are :
Mayurbhanj-06792-252759,
Jajpur 06728-222648,
Gajapati 06815-222943,
Dhenkanal 06762-221376,
Khurda 06755-220002,
Keonjhar 06766-255437
Cuttack 0671-2507842,
Ganjam 06811-263978,
Puri 06752-223237,
Kendrapara 06727-232803,
Jagatsinghpur 06724-220368,
Balasore 06782-262674,
Bhadrak 06784-251881.
If you like the coverage, please give your views or comments in the box provided below:
About the Author
0Awesome Comments!