Phailin Comes Rolling

'Phailin' hits Odisha, north Andhra coast

Gopalpur(Odisha)/Srikakulam(AP), Oct 12 (PTI) 'Phailin', a very severe cyclonic storm, said to be the second strongest after the disastrous super-cyclone of 1999, today struck the Odisha coast, bringing in its wake torrential rains and wind speeds of over 200 kmph in the state and in the neighbouring north coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Darkness enveloped wide swathes of the coastal districts of Odisha, especially Ganjam, whose Gopalpur-on-sea was the entry point for the storm uprooting trees and electric poles.

• Cyclone to maintain intensity for next six hours: IMD
• Bhubaneswar: Cyclone Phailin, which made landfall with a windspeed of 200 kmph near Gopalpur town in Odisha tonight, is likely to maintain the intensity of a very severe cyclonic storm for six hours, the IMD said.
•  'Phailin', packing winds of 240 to 260 kmph, made landfall off the Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts tonight, leaving a trail of death and destruction.
  
     Six deaths, three in Kendrapada, two in Ganjam and one in Bhubaneshwar, were reported as Odisha plunged into a power blackout and 1.2 lakh persons evacuated in Andhra Pradesh.
  
     The toll was expected to rise despite the largest evacuation exercise carried out in India and the extent of damage could not be ascertained.