Monday, September 19 2005 17:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhubaneswar: Orissa heaved a sigh of relief as the cyclonic storm which threatened its coastal region last night (Sept 18, 2005) moved away and hit the Andhra Pradesh coast this morning (Sept 19, 2005), but not before leaving a trail of devastation

The cyclonic storm, which lay over the North West Bay yesterday, was expected to hit the coast between Paradip and Gopalpur by this morning, but drifted in a south-westerly direction.

It finally hit the coast near Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and the latest information given by the Cyclone Warning Centre here was that it had left the state's coast moving in a west north-westerly direction.

Four persons died of rain-related mishaps since yesterday while two others were reported missing in Kendrapara district, official reports said.

Two girls were electrocuted in Bhokanji village under Jagatsinghpur police station while a man died at Khuntana village under Tirtol police limits when a coconut tree fell on him. Another person, identified as Balaram Patra, died in Berhampur city after coming in contact with a live electric wire.

Meanwhile, 25 fishermen, who had entered the sea on fishing expeditions from Paradip and Gopalpur were reported missing.

As per an FIR lodged with the police at Paradip, 22 fishermen in four boats were said to be missing in the sea but nine of them returned to the coast subsequently. Thirteen of them still remained untraced along with 12 who had entered the sea from Gopalpur and its neighbourhood earlier.