SECRETARIAT - 150 route de Ferney, P.O. Box 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland - TEL: +41 22 791 6033 - FAX: +41 22 791 6506 www.actalliance.org Alert India Cyclone Hudhud devastates Odisha & Andhra Pradesh Geneva, 13 October 2014 1. Brief description of the emergency and impact Cyclone Hudhud caused extensive devastation as it invaded the port city of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP) on Sunday noon time, leaving in its wake widespread wreckage, fallen trees and damaged buildings. The cyclone moved with deafening winds blowing at 190 kmph, and despite massive evacuation, has so far claimed six lives –three persons killed in Andhra Pradesh and three in Odisha. Several areas of the coastal AP and Odisha are experiencing heavy rains since Saturday. In AP, the cyclone has caused extensive damage due to torrential rains in three coastal districts – Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam. The authorities have closed the city airport and suspended train services in Visakhapatnam, which is home to two million people and a major naval base. Gale force winds accompanied by rain battered Vishakhapatnam, disrupting communication and uprooting electricity poles, trees, flexi boards and hoardings at several places. Wind velocity was not too strong in Odisha, and hence caused less damage. However heavy rainfall is continuing in south Odisha posing threat of floods in eight districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal and Kalahandi. As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, the cyclone may result in the flooding of lowlying coastal areas in AP and southern Odisha. The IMD has forecast that Hudhud’s peak wind speeds will drop to 60 kmph by Monday afternoon, but heavy rainfall will continue till 15 October 2014. As the cyclone progresses, it will cause heavy rainfall in Chhattisgarh, Bihar, East Madhya Pradesh and East UP and Gangetic belt of West Bengal. 2. Why is an ACT response needed? This cyclone is worse than the cyclone Phailin which occurred in the same month last year and affected the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Poor people in isolated villages have particularly been affected by frequent cyclones and floods and by losing their livelihood and shelters without proper relief and rehabilitation. The unemployment situation arises and the price of the essential commodities has gone up due to less stock and inadequate supply. The ACT members LWSIT, CASA and UELCI have strong presence in the affected areas and have been involved in relief and rehabilitation work during the past disaster situations. Therefore the ACT response will be needed in the affected remote villages. 3. National and international response As part of the rescue operation, around 500,000 people were evacuated from several districts of Andhra Pradesh to high-rise buildings, shelters and relief centres. The state government in Odisha stepped up evacuation of people and by evening 165,000 persons from eight districts were evacuated to 1,690 relief centres. All cyclone developments are being reported in real time to the prime minister’s office. Twentyfour National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, two Army columns, 56 boats launches and six Alert 40/2014 India – Cyclone Hudhud 2 helicopters were deployed. The authorities had suspended power supply and stopped traffic on the national highways by Saturday evening as precautionary measures. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu urged the Centre to treat the devastation caused by Hudhud as a “national calamity” and sought an ad hoc assistance of INR 2,000 crore (Approx. US $ 330 million). 30 total diving teams with Gemini craft loaded with relief materials and 20 rescue teams fanned out to rescue people in flooded areas of Srikakulam, Anakapalle and areas surrounding Vishakhapatnam. A disaster management cell has been set up at Army Air Defence College at Gopalpur at sea and 16 teams have been deployed to clear obstructions and open roads for transport of relief materials and quick evacuation of casualties. The Air force also kept ready aircraft as stand by for the relief work. 4. ACT Alliance response The ACT Alliance India Forum members (LWSIT, CASA & UELCI) are closely watching the situations. All three ACT Alliance members have a strong presence in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states. The field staff of the ACT members helped the rescue teams to motivate people to evacuate and go to higher places. There are about 6000 people taking shelter in 12 cyclone centres- cum- schools constructed by LWSIT in Ganjam Dist, Odisha. 5. Planned activities The ACT India Forum members (LWSIT, CASA, UELCI) field staff are taking stock of the situation and after conducting a rapid field assessment in the next three days may issue either RRF or Preliminary appeal for ACT Alliance support. 6. Constraints As the Hudhud cyclone areas are having very heavy rainfalls and the roads are blocked by trees and uprooted electricity poles, it is not possible to access all the communities immediately, hence obstructing the transportation and communication. Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jean-Daniel Birmele, Director of Finance ([email protected]) For further information please contact: ACT Senior Programme Officer, Sudhanshu S. Singh (phone +41 22 791 6035) or ACT Head of Programmes, Sarah Kambarami ([email protected]; phone + 41 22 791 6211) ACT Web Site address: http://www.actalliance.org