DHAKA: A powerful cyclone was hurtling on Wednesday towards India’s southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, a month after a killer storm forced one million people to flee their homes, officials said.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) advised the state administration to evacuate thousands from the path of Cylone Helen and forecast it would batter several districts of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday.

‘Under the influence of the cyclone... extremely heavy rainfall would occur over south coastal Andhra Pradesh on November 21,’ the agency said, reports The Straits Times.

It said the cyclone, packing windspeeds of up to 120km an hour, would also kick up surging sea waves and inundate parts of four coastal districts.

BDST: 2057 HRS, NOV 20, 2013
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