HYDERABAD: Cyclone Hudhud made landfall at Pudimadaka near Viskhapatnam at around 1 p.m. and in its wake brought widespread destruction.
High velocity winds of speeds from 160 -180 kmph gusting upto 195 kmph uprooted several trees in coastal districts of Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East Godavari. Even the huts and sheds with asbestos shades got damaged and at places in Visakhapatnam city, some reports indicate that there were some damage to even pucca houses and apartments.
The wind speed was such that even the window panes of the houses and cars parked on the roads got shattered. With uprooted trees, electricity poles and telephone poles falling on the roads all over the city of Viskhapatam, communication was cut and people who tried to get out during the lull in the eye of cyclone, could not venture out as all the roads got blocked.
Those who braved the weather and came out to get some essentials like medicines during the lull, got stranded in different places, when the winds and rain again picked up. ''We came out to fetch medicines for my grandmother, but we got struck here,'' rued P Sunita, a college student who along with her mother got stranded at KSR Complex.
K Kiran Kumar, a bank employee, who came out to shift his vehicle to a safer location, sustained injured when a tree branch fell on him. But his family could not shift him to hospital, as all the roads got blocked with debris and with wind speed had picked. According to them, the wind speed was such that people even could not stand on the road for fear of being swept away in the wind.
At Pudimadaka and nearby villages, sea water has come into the village and have even entered and the fishermen families are weep fearing for their boats and nets, the essentials for eking out their livelihood. Sea is very rough and the huge waves crashing on the coast along Visakhaptnam is upending even large boats moored at the harbour.
All the people in the Visakhapatnam, which is at ground zero of Cyclone Huhud have been advised to remain indoor till the cyclone passes off by Sunday evening. Even after the cyclone had moved further inland, weakening as it progress, heavy the very heavy rains are expected to lash all the four coastal districts and also other adjoining districts of the state.
The rain waters have entered into the Radar Centre in Visakhapatnam snapping off the connection with it. Efforts are being made to resort the connection with it at the earliest. Reports indicate that even the communication system of Indian Navy, which has its Eastern Command's headquarters at Visakhapatnam got disrupted. Due to high winds, the building housing the cyclone warning centre also sustained damage.
In Hanumanthavaka, some apartments developed cracks and in other parts of the city, some statues on the pedestals at cross roads also got uprooted. At NAD Junction large number of trees and electricity poles got uprooted and fell on the roads, blocking the entire way. With even cell phone towers sustaining damage at some places in Visakhaptnam and other places in the district, mobile phone communication got effected.
Other two north coastal districts, Srikakulam and Vizinagaram also faced the burnt of Cyclone fury. Several trees, electric poles got uprooted. Some hoardings along the National Highway also fell on the roads. Since movement on the highway was stopped since Saturday evening, damages to vehicles on the highway was prevented. Seven people got injured in Mandasa of Srikakulam district, when an uprooted tree fell upon them. In Echerla mandal, several boats including mechanised ones got washed moored to the shore got washed away in the sea.
In 13 mandals of East Godavari district, another coast district bordering Visakhaptnam, several trees got uprooted and at places huts got damaged. However, no casualties were reported. In Uppada, sea had surged forward several meters and the force of the waves have damaged road between Uppada and Kakinada to an extent of 1.5 km.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is constantly monitoring the situation, has appealed the people to remain indoors till the cyclone passes off. He said high velocity winds are wrecking havock and urged people not to risk their lives. ''As a precautionary measure, we have cut power supply to the Visakhapatnam city and suburbs. All the government machinery is on standby and every effort is being made to minimise the losses,'' he said.