Phailin impact: 1.29 lakh people evacuated from coastal Andhra

People walk among debris from a broken wall after it was damaged by a wave brought by Cyclone Phailin at a fishing harbour in Visakhapatnam district in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh October 12, 2013. Rain and wind lashed India's east coast on Saturday, forcing more than 400,000 people to flee to storm shelters as one of the country's largest cyclones closed in, threatening to cut a wide swathe of devastation through farmland and fishing hamlets. Filling most of the Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Phailin was about 200 km (124 miles) offshore by noon on Saturday, satellite images showed, and was expected to hit land by nightfall. REUTERS

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy late tonight reviewed the impact of cyclone Phailin and asked the entire official machinery in the north coastal districts to remain on high alert through the night.

So far 1,29,100 people from 294 villages in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts have been shifted to a total of 115 relief camps, an official release said.

Disaster Management Commissioner T Radha said 11 mandals in Srikakulam and seven each in Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts were likely to be affected by Phailin.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to take up immediate rescue, relief measures, and also the repair and restoration of power supply lines, roads and drinking water facilities.

Round-the-clock control rooms with telephones have been set up at state, district and mandal levels. Nineteen NDRF teams, five columns of Army with engineers, communication specialists and medical teams have been kept ready.

The Central government has arranged two helicopters for rescue operations while the state government had requested for eight more, the release added.

Srikakulam district, bordering Odisha, is receiving heavy rainfall under the cyclone's impact.

Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels | Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks