Cyclone ‘Titli’ strike coastal Odisha accompanied with strong winds and heavy rain the region. It uprooted trees and electric poles and damaged hutments in several parts after making landfall early this morning. Reportedly, the cyclone ‘Titli’ created the landfall between 4.30 and 5.30 am in South-east coast of Gopalpur near palasa in Andhra Pradesh with a surface windspeed of 140-150 kmph. More than three lakh people in Odisha’s five coastal districts have been moved to safer places.

Power Supply, Com links Damaged

Reportedly, The cyclone also caused heavy rainfall in at least three districts of Odisha and caused slight damage to power and communication. Power supply and telephone lines got distorted and road communication broke due to uprooted trees at many places of Gajapati district. There has not been any significant damage or any report of casualty received from any part of the state till now. Some cases of destruction were reported from Ganjam and Gajapati districts. Road routes between Paralakhemundi and Mohana and some other block headquarters in Gajapati had been obstructed due to the effect of the cyclone.

Flight & Train Services Affected

Flights and train services between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are also effected due to the cyclone Titli . Indigo Airlines has cancelled five flights to and from Bhubaneswar. Reportedly, train services are suspended between Khurda road and Vizianagram from both directions from 10 pm on Wednesday till further notice. Also, operations at Paradip port have been suspended and all ships have been moved to deep sea. The IMD advised total suspension of fishing activities and movement of coastal hutment dwellers to safe places. Fisherman along the Odisha coast, and central and north Bay of Bengal were advised not to move into sea till Friday.

15 NDRF Teams Deployed

The Odisha Government has maintained that it has achieved “Mission Zero Casualty”, which was a target set by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, even  heavy rainfall hit at least five districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Khurda and JagatsSinghpur. Total 15 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are deployed out of which 13 are deployed along with the Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) at endangered places.

The people who have been taken out of their homes have been lodged in shelters. Pregnant women have been moved to hospitals. Other than making all plans for rescue and relief operations, the chief Minister also ordered to close all schools, colleges and anganwadi centres on 11th and 12th  as a result of IMD’s forecast of very heavy rainfall across the state. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took stock of the situation on Wednesday and had asked district collectors to shift people from the low lying areas of the coastal belt.

Chandrababu Naidu Takes Stock of Situation

Two people are died in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam as cyclone Titli uprooted trees and electric poles and damaged hutments in the region. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu plans to visit the area today and will likely stay the night there.

Cyclone Moves Towards West Bengal

Titli has been considered as a very critical cyclonic storm, hit the coast with a speed of 140-150 kmph. The cyclone is moving towards West Bengal and is expected to diminished steadily with reduced wind speed.