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Nepal

'Hudhud' affects Nepal, rains to last till Wednesday

The effects of Cyclone Hudhud, that hit the southern and eastern regions of India on Sunday with heavy rains and winds of almost 200 kmph, were felt in Nepal on Monday, October 13, 2014.

Effects of Hudhud were first felt in the middle and eastern regions of Nepal, after the cyclone unleashed its effects on the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar -- Meteorologist Shanti Kattel of Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD) of Nepal told nepalnews.

As a consequence, normal precipitation was registered in the middle and eastern regions of Nepal on Monday, Kattel said.

According to Kattel, there may be light to normal rainfall in the western and far-western regions of Nepal, whereas heavy rains may also affect some parts of the country on Tuesday, October 13, 2014. She further said that the aftereffects of Cyclone Hudhud in Nepal may last till Wednesday.

Such cyclones frequently affect the region after the monsoons are over, as such it would not be entirely true to say that climate-change is the reason for the same , Meteorologist Kattel said.

While the delayed onset of the monsoons had adversely affected paddy-plantation, the prolonged rains have affected the crop-harvesting work.

Typically, the monsoons enter Nepal on June 10 and end on September 23; but this year, there was a delayed arrival of monsoon on June 20 which lasted till October 7- MFD said.

Cyclone Hudhud which entered with heavy rain and winds of almost 200 kmph on Sunday, rammed the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, leaving five dead in Vishakhapatnam and a trail of devastation.

More than 400,000 people were shifted to secure base to avoid the brunt of Hudhud.

The cyclone is similar to Cyclone Phailin that crossed the coast of Odisha last October, leaving behind a trail of destruction.