Cyclone Gulab likely to slam Andhra, Odisha coasts around midnight

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The coastal districts in north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Odisha have been put on high alert as cyclone 'Gulab' with wind speeds gusting up to 95 kmph is expected to hit the coastal areas of the two states around midnight.</p>
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Train services on the east coast have been cancelled as a precautionary measure and teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to help people.</p>
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The Odisha government has started evacuating people from seven districts in the southern region of the state. The Ganjam and Gajapati districts are expected to be the worst affected by the anticipated cyclone.</p>
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The cyclonic storm is expected to make landfall between Gopalpur (Odisha) and Kalingapatanam in Andhra Pradesh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast.</p>
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Currently, cyclone Gulab is about 180 km east-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha and 240 km east of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, the IMD said in its latest update.</p>
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Thirteen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Odisha and five in Andhra Pradesh, Satya Narayan Pradhan, Director General of the relief force, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.</p>
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Cyclone 'Gulab' will be the second cyclonic storm to hit Odisha after 'Yaas', which made landfall barely four months ago.</p>