Cyclone Hudhud, which is fast approaching India's southeastern coast, battered the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Wednesday, causing landslides and destroying power and phone lines.
National disaster response forces were deployed in the region after the cyclone wreaked havoc, uprooting trees and snapping power and communication lines. Authorities were working to set up disrupted power lines.
"I feel the entire situation will be fully under control," Tanvy Garg, the district commissioner of South Andaman, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Schools were shut on Wednesday and ferry services were also cancelled. The main Andaman Trunk Road was shut down after trees were uprooted.
Cyclone Hudhud, reportedly named after a colourful bird, is reportedly gaining dangerous speeds, and is intensifying into a "very severe cyclonic storm".
According to the India Meteorological Department, Cyclone Hudhud could make landfall in Andhra Pradesh, especially Vishakhapatnam at a speed of 140 km per hour, on Sunday.
"It is now crossing the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Thereafter, the system would continue to move west-northwestwards, intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours and subsequently into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 36 hours," a bulleting from the metereological department said.
