Cyclone kills 2 in southern India

At least two persons were killed in a severe cyclonic storm, called Cyclone Hudhud, which hit the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh's port city of Visakhapatnam Sunday, officials said.
"The two victims were killed in rain related incidents in the city," a senior police official said.
"The cyclone hit the state with the current wind speed at nearly 200 kms per hour. However, the worst phase of the cyclone is over. We are fully ready to deal with any eventuality," said an official of the Indian Navy which has a huge base in the port city.
The Indian Navy has kept its warships on standby at the port.
Local TV channels showed footage of heavy rainfall in the city, with power lines being snapped and trees uprooted.
"There is a lull in the storm currently, but it will again intensify after that for a few hours," a weather official said.
Indian authorities have so far evacuated over 400,000 people from the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and the neighboring eastern state of Odisha which is also likely to bear the brunt of the cyclone.
Cyclone Hudhud is named after an Israeli bird.