Severe cyclone hits Andhra Pradesh coast, 15 districts affected; 10,805 people moved to safety

A severe cyclone struck the Andhra Pradesh coast with force on Tuesday morning. The storm crossed the coast near Ongole and moved inland, devastating life and farmland in 15 districts.

Wind speeds during the storm reached 100 to 110 km per hour, with gusts touching 120 km per hour.

According to the state government's preliminary estimate, standing crops on 30,661 acres have been damaged across the 15 districts. Thousands of trees were uprooted, hundreds of electricity poles were damaged and water logging was reported in many coastal areas.

The administration had taken precautions in advance, and 10,805 people were moved to safe places. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the damage caused by the storm and the relief work under way.

The weather is also likely to change in Maharashtra in the coming days. Light to moderate rain and gusty winds are expected in eastern and western Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Konkan, Goa and parts of central Maharashtra. A cautionary alert has been issued for some parts of Maharashtra because of the possibility of lightning.

In south India, rain will continue in Kerala, Karnataka and the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh. Thunder and lightning are also likely in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.

Under the influence of this severe cyclone from the Bay of Bengal, rain, thunder and gusty winds are likely to continue in several states of eastern, central and southern India. A heavy rain warning has been issued for parts of six states: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and Telangana. Lightning and gusty winds are also possible in these areas. A moderate risk of flash floods has also been flagged in some catchment areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

In Uttarakhand, the search for 8 people, including 7 trekkers, who went missing on the Kedartal trek in Uttarkashi district continued for the fifth day on Tuesday. Snowstorms, avalanches and difficult terrain are hampering the rescue operation.

In Jammu and Kashmir, an earthquake of magnitude 3.1 struck Kishtwar district late on Monday night. The quake, at 11:56 pm, had its epicentre five kilometres below the ground.

In Nepal, one of two young men trapped in heavy snowfall at Badimalika in Bajura district, Manish Bohra, died. His companion, Sagar Karki, was rescued by security personnel with the help of a helicopter. According to Bajura District Chief Muktiram Rijal, the two were returning after visiting the Badimalika Devi temple when heavy snowfall began suddenly.