A 20-foot protection wall near a fishing harbour in Visakhapatnam port area collapsed this morning and fishing boats were damaged following the impact of high waves caused by Phailin cyclone.
Visakhapatnam port officials accommodated 42 fishing vessels on port berths. Until 11 in the morning, handling operations were not affected at the inner harbour, and port officials were waiting for MET department warnings for stoppage of operations in the port.
More than 60,000 villagers from three north Andhra coastal districts were evacuated in view of the cyclone. State revenue minister, Raghuveera Reddy visited Visakhapatnam today to monitor relief works in three districts.
District officials identified some safe places at cyclone prone areas to provide shelter to evacuated villagers. Navy and Army personnel are ready at Visakhapatnam, which is the head quarters of Eastern Naval Command, to plunge into action. Hundreds of thousands of food packets have been kept ready to distribute to cyclone victims, Reddy told media persons.
