The “severe cyclonic storm” Fani in the Bay of Bengal is likely to make landfall on the Odisha coastline by early morning on May 4, The Indian Express reported, quoting the India Meteorological Department. It is likely to intensify into an extremely severe cyclonic storm by Wednesday night.
“The information as of now tells us that the cyclone would make a landfall on the Odisha coastline sometime early in the morning of May 4 or late in the evening of May 3,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, head of services at India Meteorological Department. “There is still some uncertainty about the exact place in Odisha where it would come on to the land. According to its current trajectory, it could be somewhere near Puri. But we can know this better only by tomorrow.”
Cyclone Fani – pronounced “Foni” – is seen moving northwestwards towards the coastline of northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh till May 1, and then re-curve north-northeastwards towards the Odisha coast, the Met department said.
“It is very likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and into an extremely severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours,” the weather department said. It intensified into a severe cyclonic storm on Monday evening.
In case of an “extremely severe cyclonic storm”, the wind speed goes up to 170 to 180 km per hour gusting up to 195 kmph, according to PTI.
The National Crisis Management Committee, the country’s top body to deal with emergency situations, took stock of the situation on Monday and assured state governments of all assistance from the central government.
The National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on high alert, the Home Ministry said. Naval aircraft are on standby at air stations – INS Rajali at Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu and INS Dega at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material if required, reported ANI.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep sea areas of Southeast Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean, and off Sri Lanka, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh coasts till May 1.
The Met department has forecast light to moderate rainfall at many places, with heavy rain at isolated places in Kerala on Tuesday. Light to moderate rainfall at a few places is likely over coastal areas of northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh.
Light to moderate rainfall is also likely over coastal areas of northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha on May 2. Rainfall is likely to increase in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on May 3 and May 4.
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