What’s Been Worse for India: Cyclone Hudhud or the Media Frenzy About It? · Global Voices
Subhashish Panigrahi

Cyclone “Hudhud“, classified as “very severe”, crashed into northeastern Andhra Pradesh and Southern Odisha on Sunday, October 12, around noon local time. The damage has been tremendous. According to the latest reports, winds approaching 200 kph (124 mph) have pummeled the coast, killing at least six people.
Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, home to two million people and a major naval base, was the hardest hit, with the storm knocking out the city's telecommunications. By Sunday evening, as the cyclone moved across inner Andhra Pradesh and other nearby areas, wind speeds slowed to 120–130 kph (roughly 77 mph).
RT @potuku: #hudhud devastates. No power. No news. Uprooted trees in the streets. Praying for safety #Vizag
— The Earthwoman (@tw_bhav) October 12, 2014
Formed on October 8, 2014, Hudhud moves across the Bay of Bengal. NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team. Copyright Demotix.
For the past several days, the Indian mass media have been in a frenzy about the coming of Hudhud. Responding to the panic in the news, as well as memories of the 1999 Super Cyclone and the “Phailin” storm last year, communities along the Andhrapradesh and Odisha coasts have been busy covering them homes in sandbags and tying down their houses with ropes. Roughly 500,000 people have evacuated the area altogether, moving to safer places outside the storm's projected path.
All this, despite predictions that Hudhud would produce only heavy rains and some high winds in Odisha. On Twitter, many Indians have complained that sensationalism in the news is causing more damage than the storm itself. The prices of vegetables, for instance, shot up, as frightened people began hoarding produce. The same has occurred with other household goods, as well. Concerns about profiteers and artificial scarcity have appeared online.
Some #Odia print #media seem to be marketing #panic through #sensational headlines on #Hudhud.
— prasanna mishra (@swayamvu) October 12, 2014
Hudhud has also presented many Internet users in India with the opportunity to track the storm in realtime from areas far from the rain and wind.
A video of #Hudhud #CycloneHudhud for people in the media from 28 storms #Odisha #Andhra https://t.co/lC2uWp6kzO
— Devasis Sarangi (@devasissarangi) October 10, 2014
Tracking Hudhud has appealed to many in India, but many others find the enterprise foolish, insofar as it aggravates the level of public panic.
Cyclone #Hudhud will probably spare most parts of #Odisha as it heads towards Vizag.Insat 3D image taken at 9.30 pm. https://t.co/wDtfJJSqoX
— అంతర్వాణి #SHL #ahf (@Antharvani) October 10, 2014
@devasissarangi National media has become idiotic, no news of NE floods, not of #hudhud #Odisha, stop watching them @agrawalakhil
— Bhubaneswar Buzz (@BBSRBuzz) October 8, 2014
Commentary about Hudhud has not escaped politics, of course. As the storm hit India's eastern coast, the prime minister was busy visiting Maharashtra. Several new organizations apparently stuck with the prime minister, reporting favorably about his current election campaign, instead of covering the cyclone to the east.
The day when #HudHud hits India, marathi media will be cheerleading for #Modi. So much for humanity. #SoldOutMedia pic.twitter.com/nO8QzL5Gp6
— JAI_HIND (@Sunit_B) October 12, 2014