Post date: Oct 12, 2013 7:21:9 PM
The outer bands of powerful cyclone Phailin begin lashing India's east coast as almost half a million people flee the enormous storm's expected path.
PARADIP, ODISHA, INDIA (OCTOBER 12, 2013) (ANI) - More than 450,000 people headed for higher ground on Saturday (October 12), fleeing the path of one of the most powerful cyclones that is expected to devastate India's eastern coast.
The enormous storm system, named Phailin, was moving in from the Bay of Bengal and is expected to make landfall between Kalingapatnam in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh and Paradip in the eastern state of Odisha (Orissa) between 6 and 8 p.m (local time), 1300-1500GMT.
Meteorologists are tracking its approach to the Indian coast.
"Cyclone Phailin is situated 90 kilometres away from south east of Gopalpur. It is still a very severe cyclonic storm. It is advancing towards north-west at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour," said Director General of Indian Meteorology Department, L S Rathore in New Delhi.
Filling most of the Bay of Bengal, Rathore said the storm was expected to hit the region of Gopalpur in Odisha (Orissa) "between 6 and 8 p.m (local time)."
In an earlier statement, the India Meteorological Department said the cyclone Phailin was packing winds of between 210 kph (130 mph) and 220 kph (137 mph) and was expected to cause a 3.4-m (11-foot) surge in sea levels when it hit the coast.
Authorities warn of extensive damage to mud houses, as well as major disruption of power and communication lines, the flooding of rail tracks and roads. The storm is expected to rival that of a cyclone that laid waste to the same region in 1999 that left at least 10,000 people dead.