Cyclonic storm Titli caused widespread damage in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts of Andhra Pradesh. Eight people, including six fishermen were killed, Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority said. In Srikakulam district, a 62-year-old woman died after a tree fell on her, and a 55-year-old man died in a house collapse.
'Titli' made a landfall in the beach town of Gopalpur in Odisha between 4.30 and 5.30 on Thursday morning, packing winds of over 125 km per hour and heavy rain. Flight and train services between Andhra and Odisha have also been affected because of Cyclone Titli. Eight districts in Odisha - Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore - have been affected by Titli. Power supply and telephone links have been disrupted and road lines were snapped due to uprooted trees at many places of Gajapati district. There are also reports of damages to mud houses.
The Odisha government had on Wednesday evacuated more than 3,00,000 people from five coastal districts while local schools, colleges and childcare centres were ordered closed. The state government said it took steps to face possible floods due to heavy rain. The people who have been moved out of their homes have been accommodated in shelters. Pregnant women have been shifted to hospitals. Cyclone Titli is moving towards West Bengal and is expected to weaken gradually with decreasing wind speed.
