Being helpless spectators to the devastating effects of cyclone Hudhud is an image that will haunt residents of Vizag for a lifetime. On Sunday, the city witnessed its worst cyclone.
As the eye of the storm passed over the city, there was a lull following which winds regained their potency. The winds that picked up with terrifying speed after 1.30 p.m. hammered the coast mercilessly. For the residents of Beach Road, the effects were compounded. Several apartments along the coastline were violently shaking due to the impact of the high velocity winds that started from the early hours of the day and lasted more than 12 hours. With window panes shattering, roof-tops ripped away and rooms flooding – it was a scary ordeal for people on Beach Road.
Several apartment residents had packed their valuables in small bags ready to leave their homes in case of emergency.
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“We kept all the cash and important documents in a bag to rush down. The flat was shaking so badly that we felt it may collapse,” said Ashish Dhariwal, a resident of Pandurangapuram.
By 3 p.m., when the wind speed touched its peak, the residents huddled together on lower floors as most of the top floors bore the brunt of the storm.
“Within minutes our kitchen and bedroom windows were ripped out due to the wind force. We could see the utensils flying around. That moment all we prayed for was to be alive,” said Ayushi Agarwal, a resident of Jasthi Square.
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Left without power and water for more than 24 hours, many residents tried to book hotel rooms.
“We called up Novotel Hotel. But we were told that none of the rooms was operational. They had a conference hall with beds kept on floors for people,” said Abhishek. P, a resident of Beach Road.