The Story Of Hud-Hud

It would be very easy to say that a disaster happened but when you experience it you will know the depth of it and impact it created. This was in the year 2014 where no one was much aware of it and suddenly there was an announcement everywhere that there is a cyclone that would come. Mostly no one took it seriously and everyone where busy in their own work making things ready for the next day. The sky was peaceful and the traffic was busy and there is no change in the atmosphere. There was a cool breeze flowing everywhere. There was nothing much different so most of the people ignored the news.

On the Day of Hud-Hud [ 12th October 2014]

It was the time of sunrise, but it was dark everywhere with clouds filled in the sky. The cold breeze was slightly changing wild. By the time all the people woke up to begin their day they could see disaster. All were shocked by the fierce wind. Apart from that, they could see their surroundings destroying and the trees are breaking down. All the offices were declared holidays in an instant because the situation was not under control. After some time there was a heavy pour down of rain which enabled people to even walk on the roads. Everyone got locked up at their places and were warned not to come out of their homes. Even in this situation many struggled to reach their homes but couldn't make out. The sea waves started reaching out on the road and by the time it was afternoon most of the trees were destroyed and the cars started flying in the air, the glass doors were broken, in total it was just simply a disaster.The unexpected arrival of this heavy cyclone scared everyone and it is sure that there would not be anyone who will forget this cyclone especially the ones who experienced it.

About Hud-Hud:

The name for the storm HUD-HUD is contributed by Oman. It is an Arabic word. It is Hoppoe Bird which is called Hudhud in Arabic. It was because of the depression that has occurred in Andaman. Due to a low-pressure area over the Andaman Sea was upgraded to a depression by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On October 8, when it made landfall over an island in the Andaman, it was classified as a cyclonic storm. The damage caused by Cyclone Hudhud not only changed the landscape of the Vizag city but also made it the first city in the country to be directly hit by a cyclone since 1891 as per the records of IMD. Hudhud not only emerged as first high-intensity cyclonic storms that developed in either the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea since 1891. It mainly occurred in coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

Arrival:

The South Central Railway canceled 28 express trains, and diverted 13; more than a dozen passenger trains were also canceled. All flights to Visakhapatnam were canceled.October 12, Cyclone Hudhud made landfall near Pudimadaka, some 50 km from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh at around 11.30 A.M.Visakhapatnam was hit hard. The roof of the airport in the city was blown away. Approximately, 500,000 people had to be evacuated in Andhra Pradesh; 160,000 were evacuated in neighboring Odisha. In Andhra Pradesh, the worst hit districts were Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, East Godavari, and Vizianagaram. In Odisha, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Rayagada were among the worst affected. Overall, Andhra Pradesh faced the brunt of the storm.

Impact of Cyclone:

It is estimated to have caused a loss of nearly Rs 8,000 crore to both public and private properties. According to estimations the loss to roads, horticulture, agriculture and water works is expected to be Rs 2,000 crore . Thousands of houses are either partially or totally damaged. Several shops and commercial hubs have been destroyed. The Visakhapatnam airport bore the brunt of the cyclone. Heavy gales extensively damaged the roof of the airport building and terminal. Flood water has entered the runway, forcing the authorities to suspend all operations. Even railway platforms had been damaged and more than 36 train services were canceled. All the educational institutions remained closed.

There has been no milk supply in Visakhapatnam for the past two days. There is also a scarcity of petrol and diesel. Long queues were witnessed at the few filling stations that opened. This cyclone had a little impact in West Bengal which had at most scattered rainfall in parts of the state. Cyclone Hudhud invaded the port city of Visakhapatnam, leaving in its wake widespread wreckage, fallen trees, and damaged buildings. As per the reports, the cyclone, moving with speed winds blowing at 190 kmph, has so far took away five lives – while three persons were killed in Andhra Pradesh, two fatalities were reported from Odisha.