DHAKA: At least 11,000 people have been evacuated as a severe cyclone slammed into the north-eastern coast of Andhra Pradesh, packing strong winds and torrential rain and killing at least two people, according to officials.

Heavy rain lashed the region and knocked out power to hundreds of villages.

The Indian Meteorological Department says the storm made the landfall today with winds of 80 to 90 kilometres per hour (50 to 55 mph).

Cyclone Helen has arrived just a month after Cyclone Phailin struck Odisha and Andhra Pradesh a month ago, killing nearly 20 people.

Helen, which is labelled "severe", is considerably weaker than the "very severe" cyclone Phailin which pounded the east coast further to the north in October.

The most powerful storms which strike India at this time of year are classed as "super-cyclones", followed by "very severe" and "severe".

Phailin, which had winds of over 200 kilometres an hour, tore across parts of Andhra Pradesh, ripping out trees, flipping trucks, snapping power lines and flooding farmland.

Source: NDTV
BDST: 0826 HRS, NOV 23, 2013
RS/BSK