An enormous cyclone that could threaten millions of lives is headed for the eastern coast of India, gaining speed and intensity as it moves.
As of Friday afternoon, Cyclone Phailin was around 320 miles outside of the eastern seaport town of Paradip, in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. According to the Wall Street Journal, the cyclone will make landfall Saturday night along the coasts of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states.
Dr. Jeff Masters of Weather Underground told the National Weather Channel that top sustained winds increased in speed from 65 mph to 155 mph in a mere day. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has classified Phailin as a Category 5 hurricane, which brings winds of at least 157 mph and is the highest grade of storm on the Safir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Phailin could cause catastrophic damage.
"People, livestock and pets are at very high risk of injury or death from flying or falling debris," the Weather Channel reported. "A high percentage of frame homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Extensive damage to roof covers, windows and doors will occur."
This area of the Indian coast might also encounter storm surge flooding and enough rainfall to create a flood, since this area is an especially low-lying one that makes it much more susceptible to flooding. Residents of seven coastal districts in the immediate area have been evacuated.
In Andhra Pradesh, around 64,000 people have already been moved to higher ground, Relief Commissioner T. Radha announced in Hyderabad, the capital city. Emergency relief workers were told to steel themselves for any emergencies, N. Raghuveera Reddy, Andhra Pradesh minister for revenue, relief and rehabilitation reported.
"Sea tides may rise to a height of three meters," he said, adding that officials predict almost 25 centimeters of rain on Saturday.
According to Director-general of the India Meteorological Department Laxman Singh Rahmore, who spoke with the Wall Street Journal, the cyclone should not be taken lightly.
"This is a very severe cyclone. It is close to the one that struck Orissa in 1999," he said, referring to a hurricane that occurred 14 years ago and rivaled Phailin in levels of intensity and damage done.
Track the storm here.
