Experts say the wind speed is at 200 to 210 km per hour and is expected to touch 230 km per hour when the cyclone hits the coasts of Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh tomorrow. ‘It is not a super-cyclone yet but moving towards that,” said the Indian Meteorological Department chief LS Rathore.  Five districts are preparing for the worst impact of the cyclone: Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh and  Ganjam, Puri, Khordha and Jagatsinghapur in Odisha.

The Defence Minister has asked the Army, Navy and Air Force to be ready for emergency and relief operations.Odisha’s Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patra told NDTV, “We are fighting against nature. We are better prepared this time, we learnt a lot from 1999.”There is heavy rainfall in parts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. People along the coasts have been asked to move to higher grounds. “The first priority will be to save people’s lives, ensure food and electricity,” said the Odisha minister. The state government keeping choppers and food packages ready for areas expected to be worst hit.

Government holidays have been cancelled for the next month in both states.Due to the cyclone alert, thousands of power sector employees from the Seemandhra region of Andhra Pradesh, who were on strike to protest against the Centre’s decision to split the state, have decided to return to work for now. urning to work if the cyclone hits.