Cyclone ‘Titli’ leaves 8 dead in AP

Bhubaneswar, Oct 11

A very severe cyclonic storm packing winds of up to 150 kmph and widespread rains hit eastern India today, killing eight persons in Andhra Pradesh and damaging homes, uprooting trees and power lines in the state and in Odisha.

Cyclone “Titli” made landfall on the eastern coast early today wreaking havoc, mainly in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts of Andhra and Odisha’s Gajapati and Ganjam districts.

Traffic on the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway was hit after the uprooted trees blocked some sections of the road. The South Central Railway as well as the East Coast Railway cancelled several trains while some were terminated midway, officials said, adding a few express trains were also diverted.

Train services between Khurda Road in Odisha and Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh also remained suspended since 10 pm Wednesday. While no loss of lives was reported in Odisha, the “very severe” cyclonic storm left a trail of destruction uprooting trees, electric poles and damaging hutments. — PTI