The Andhra Pradesh Government on Friday asked the people not to panic over cyclone Phailin, but said it could be as severe as the super cyclone that struck the State in 1996.

It has begun the process of evacuating 64,000 people living in the low-lying areas of the three north coastal Andhra districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam as a precautionary measure.

Phailin, which lay centred about 530 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam, is expected to cross the north Andhra-Odisha coast on Saturday evening as a severe cyclonic storm.

State Revenue Minister Raghuveera Reddy said the cyclone could throw up winds of 215 km per hour speed and the three districts of north coastal Andhra district could experience rains up to 25 cm.

“As of now (1330 hrs), indications are that the cyclone could be as severe as the one that struck Andhra Pradesh in 1996.

“We cannot prevent a cyclone, but can take steps to mitigate its impact,” he told media persons here today.

Revisiting 1996

The November 1996 cyclone had uprooted about 300 km of developed land, killing about 1,000 people and damaging about 60,000 homes.

Efforts have begun to move over 64,000 people living in the low lying areas of the three districts to nearby cyclone shelters.

These include 40,000 from Visakhapatnam district, 25,000 from Srikakulam district and 4,000 from Vizianagaram district.

Cyclone shelters

There are about 850 functional cyclone shelters and another 200 in a dilapidated condition.

“We have received information that all but 30 fishing boats are back. We are sending special officers from here to the three district headquarters,” he said.

However, the Minister added, cyclones are not new to Andhra Pradesh.

In the last 124 years, the State has faced 74 cyclones, with 30 in October.

Fifteen teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been positioned and the army and navy alerted.

> amitmitra@thehindu.co.in

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