Fear gripped coastal Andhra as high tidal waves lashed the coast under the impact of cyclonic storm 'Thane' which is set to cross the coast between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh Dec 30.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal remained practically stationary and lay centred at about 600 km east-southeast of Chennai.