Cyclone threat: Massive evacuation on in AP

More than 50,000 people from coastal and low-lying villages in Andhra Pradesh have been evacuated to safer places even as the toll in rain-related mishaps since Tuesday went up to 15.

Flights between Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam have also been cancelled as a precautionary measures. Similarly flights going to Viajaywada and Rajahmndry have also been stopped.

Three deaths each were reported from Nellore and Vijaywada and one person died in Visakhapatanam due to house collapse and drowning. 8 people died on Tuesday.

People were being moved out of hundreds of villages in East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasham as the storm was likely to hit the coast nearly Machlipatanam early tomorrow. They were being housed in temporary relief camps and other government buildings. About 500 such camps were set up by the district collectors.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Rosaiah is spending the night in his office in the state secretariat to personally monitor the preparedness of the administrative machinery to deal with the impending natural calamity.

Rosaiah, who had a review meeting with revenue and other ministers and officials, briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi about the present situation and the measures taken by the government.

"The PM and Sonia assured full support and assistance to the state government to meet any eventuality".

Rosaiah also called up Opposition leaders N Chandrababu Naidu, K Chandrasekhara Rao and Chiranjeevi and briefed them about the situation.

Meanwhile, chief secretary SV Prasad contacted the south central railway general manager and asked him to stop the trains passing through coastal district at safer places in the wee hours as the storm was likely to hit the coast at the time.