Cyclone Phailin 'very severe', heavy rain in parts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh

Cyclonic storm "Phailin", classified as "very severe" by the weather department, is expected to hit coastal Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. In Odisha, officials fear the wind speed could touch levels higher than that of the deadly super-cyclone in 1999 when nearly 15,000 people died.

Here are the latest updates

• An Odisha minister has said the wind speed could touch 200 to 230 km per hour when the cyclone hits the coasts of Northern Andhra Pradesh and Southern Odisha. 

• There is heavy rainfall in parts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The Army, Navy and Air Force are on standby in both states 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."

• 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.

• Heavy rainfall is expected for Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, with lots of rain forecast for Bengal the next day.

• 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.

• Large parts of the 13 districts of Seemandhra had been without power for six days because of the strike.

• Lakhs of government employees from other departments who have been on strike have also said that they will help with any relief and rehabilitation work by temporarily returning to work if the cyclone hits.

• The Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre has warned fishermen against venturing into sea.

Credits: ndtv