Vijayawada/Visakhapatnam: Cyclone Hudhud made landfall at Vishakhapatnam t 11:30 am on Sunday. The city lost all connectivity and communication as several trees have been uprooted, blocking major roads. Bus shelters and compound walls of several houses in the city are destroyed due to heavy rains and speed gales.
Many residents from Vishakhapatnam are injured due to destruction of infrastructure by the strong winds.
Due to the high velocity gales at a speed of over 190 kmph many buildings in the city particularly those alongside beach road were destructed. This has also left many private company employees in these buildings severely injured as glasses and doors broke.
In a private office at MVP Colony, attender Lakshman got his hand fractured after a glass door driven by speed gales hit him, according to his colleagues. "Only one ambulance responded to phone calls but refused to come to rescue of victim fearing turning turtle due to speed gales. We have no other option expect waiting for help", Lakshman's colleagues said.
The helpline numbers set up by district authorities were out of service and there is no means to contact officials. Roads in Vizag are destructed to an extent that even people could not walk to hospitals nearby.
Fear gripped Vizagities as it is first that they are witnessing such a severe cyclone. "Never seen this kind of situation in Vizag. I was born and brought up here. It is very disturbing. I am scared, only god knows what will happen as I heard there will be aftermath of Hudhud cyclone once it makes landfall", said Paramesh Kolisetty, native of Vizag who resides in Verginia.
Meanwhile, East Godavari district administration is making arrangements to help cyclone victims at Vizag by giving them food. As per government orders, district authorities are all set to deliver 1 lakh food packets to victims in Vizag by evening.
According to residents of the coastal city, several building in the city shook as the high-speed gales passed by when storm touched coast. "We witnessed buildings shaking for few seconds and many compound walls collapsed after that", said Ms Padmavati, a housewife at MVP Colony.
Andhra Pradesh Urban Development Minister P Narayana has announced that the outer band of the cyclone has indeed touched the state's coast near Visakhapatnam. The minister’s car was also damaged by cyclone winds at collectorate.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is monitoring from his residence after holding a video conference with district collectors of cyclone hit districts and mandal level officers.
Rajhamundry in East Godavari only witnessed drizzles so far but is face power cut since last five hours. Officials braced up to face the cyclone that is expected to make a land fall in next one hour.
