Assets of Armed Forces Kept in Standby for the Impending Cyclone ‘Hudhud’

Indian Armed Forces is fully geared up to face the likely effects of approaching cyclone ‘Hudhud’ slowly developing in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coast. Army has kept Headquarters Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Karnataka and Kerala area and Sub Areas/Air Defence College in standby mode to undertake relief and rescue operations as and when required.

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 possible relief and rescue operation, which will be coordinated by Naval Officer-in-Charge, Odhisa and Naval Officer-in-Charge Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Following Naval assets have been kept at Vishakhapatnam as standby for undertaking rescue/relief operations. Indian Navy has kept 30 diving teams with Gemini Craft and associated equipment, 20 rescue teams, four ships with Disaster Bricks and medical stores, four helicopters and two fixed winged aircraft and a number of medical teams ready at Vishakhapatnam for undertaking rescue and relief operations.

Indian Air Force is also gearing itself up to undertake relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations as and when it is required. To bolster to the transport efforts, IAF has kept one IL-76, one C-17 and two AN-32 aircraft ready at Chandigarh, Delhi and Jorhat, respectively. Keeping the rescue operations in mind it has kept in standby mode three Chetak at Hyderabad, two Medium Light Helicopter at Barrackpore and two Medium Light Helicopter at Nagpur and Ranchi.

Indian Coast Guard has also deployed 17 ships, two Air Cushion Vessels (ACVs) and 09 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, six ships at Kakinada, three at Vishakhapatnam, four ships at Paradip and one ship, two ACVs and four aircraft at Haldia.

The movement of the cyclonic storm ‘Hudhud’ is continuously being monitored and the Armed Forces has been kept in the loop in this regard on regular basis. ----------------

Navy on High Alert for Hudhud Relief Efforts As the severe cyclone Hudhud is poised to strike the east coast of India, Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy has assumed high degree of readiness to render necessary humanitarian assistance. Four Indian Naval ships are standing by to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief (HADR), evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid. These ships embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats, integral helicopters and relief material including food, tentage, clothes, medicines, blankets etc, in quantities sufficient to sustain over 5000 personnel.

The Eastern Naval Command is monitoring the developments closely and is in constant communication with the State Administration to augment the rescue and relief operations. Six aircraft are standing by at the Naval Air Station INS Dega to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material to the stranded. Additionally, 30 diving teams and four platoons with additional relief material are ready to be pressed into action at short notice.
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Severe Cyclonic Storm, ‘Hudhud’ Over Westcentral Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Warning for North Andhra Pradesh & South Odisha Coasts (Orange Message)

The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘HUDHUD’ over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards and intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm. It lay centered at 1130 hrs IST of 10^th October 2014 near latitude 14.8 ºN and longitude 87.0 ºE about 500 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 550 km south-southeast of Gopalpur. The system would move west-northwestwards, intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. Thereafter, it would cross north Andhra Pradesh coast around Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of 12^th October 2014.

Da IST)	Position (Lat.⁰N/ long. ⁰E)	Maximum sustained surface wind speed (kmph)	Category of cyclonic disturbance
10-10-2014/1130	14.8/87.0	110-120 gusting to 130	Severe Cyclonic Storm
10-10-2014/1730	15.1/86.1	120-130 gusting to 145	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
10-10-2014/2330	15.4/86.1	120-130 gusting to 145	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
11-10-2014/0530	15.7/85.6	130-140 gusting to 155	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
11-10-2014/1130	16.1/85.1	130-140 gusting to 155	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
11-10-2014/2330	16.7/84.3	130-140 gusting to 155	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
12-10-2014/1130	17.6/83.0	130-140 gusting to 155	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
12-10-2014/2330	18.3/82.3	80-90 gusting to 100	Cyclonic Storm
13-10-2014/1130	19.0/81.5	50-60 gusting to 70	Deep Depression
13-10-2014/2330	19.8/80.5	30-40 gusting to 50	Depression

Warning for north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha

(i) Heavy rainfall warning: Under the influence of the system, rainfall at most places with heavy (6.5 – 12.4 cm) to very heavy falls (12.5 – 24.4 cm) at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (≥ 24.5 cm) would occur over 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^th onwards. Rainfall would occur at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Krishna, Guntur and Prakasham districts of Andhra Pradesh and north coastal Odisha during the same period.

(ii) Wind warning: Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph would commence along and off north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts from 11^th morning onwards. The wind speed would gradually increase to 130-140 kmph gusting to 155 kmph from 12^th morning along and off north Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts) and 80-90 kmph along and off adjoining districts of south Andhra Pradesh (West Godavari, Krishna districts) and south Odisha (Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput and Malkangiri districts).

(iii) Sea condition along and off north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts: Sea condition would be rough to very rough from 11^th morning. It would gradually become phenomenal from 12^th morning onwards along and off north Andhra Pradesh coast and very rough to high along and off south Odisha coast.

(iv) Storm surge warning: 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.

(v) Damage expected:

A) North Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts): Under the influence of system, extensive damage to kutcha houses. Uprooting of big trees. Partial disruption of power and communication lines. Minor disruption of rail and road traffic. Potential threat from flying debris. Flooding of escape routes. Damage to agricultural crops. Damage to agricultural crops.

B) South Andhra Pradesh (West Godavari, Krishna districts) and south Odisha coasts (Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput and Malkangiri districts): Damage to thatched huts. Breaking of tree branches causing minor damage to power and communication lines. Uprooting of small trees.

C) Action suggested:

A) North Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts): Suspension of fishing operations in area of influence of cyclone. Judicious regulation of aviation, navigation, rail and road traffic. People in affected areas to remain at safe places around landfall period. Mobilise evacuation from coastal areas.

B) South Andhra Pradesh (West Godavari, Krishna districts) and south Odisha coasts (Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput and Malkangiri districts): Total suspension of fishing operations.

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