Bhubaneswar: Severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm Tuesday, and is likely to hit the Odisha coast near Puri Friday afternoon, IMD said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, Fani lay over southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, about 760 km south-southwest of Puri, 560 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and about 660 km northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka).
The system will intensify into an extremely severe cyclonic storm during next six hours and then, it will move northwestwards till May 1. Thereafter, it will recurve north-northeastwards and cross Odisha coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali, to the south of Puri around May 3 afternoon with maximum wind speed of 175-185 kmph gusting up to 205 kmph, the Met said.
According to a forecast issued by the US Navy, the cyclonic system is likely to cross Odisha through the coast, he said, adding, the exact location of the landfall will be clear Wednesday after the cyclone recurves.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, meanwhile, has released funds from State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) in advance to four states — Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Of the total financial assistance of `1,086 crore, Odisha will get `340.87 crore. The cyclonic storm moved at a speed of about 16 kmph in the last six hours and intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm. It lay centred about 760 km southeast of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, said HR Biswas, director of the regional meteorological centre here.
Usually, cyclone hits Odisha coast in October or November. Titli had hit Odisha coast in October 2018. But, this time, in May, the coastal state is likely to face an extreme severe cyclone storm. May cyclonic storm had affected the state in 1893, 1914, 1917, 1982 and 1989. However, this is for the first time that such an extremely severe cyclone is heading towards the state coast.
The impact of ‘Fani’ is likely to be much more severe than ‘Titli’, which had hit the Odisha-Andhra coast last year, Bhubaneswar Met Centre director HR Biswas said. At least 60 people had been killed when cyclone ‘Titli’ struck Odisha in October 2018.
The cyclone will trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall in the south and east coastal districts, while there will be isolated heavy rainfall at one or two places in the north Odisha districts, he said.
He said rains will lash many coastal areas May 2 and the intensity will assume severe shape May 3, while windspeeds will be up to 70 kmph.
The IMD said squally winds with speeds of 40-50 kmph and gusting to 60 kmph is very likely to commence along and off north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts from May 2, and very likely to become gale wind, with speeds reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 85 kmph from the morning of May 3.
As the sea will be very rough, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the waters from May 2 off Odisha and West Bengal coasts. Those who are out in the deep sea are advised to return to the coasts, said an official.
The SRC said the state government has put the coastal districts on high alert and is prepared to face any eventuality. Sethi said 20 units of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), 12 units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 335 units of fire services have been kept in a state of preparedness. District collectors have been asked to shift people from vulnerable areas to safer places or cyclone shelters.
Instruction has been issued to undertake prompt evacuation of people from all vulnerable areas and shift them to the cyclone centres from May 2, he said, adding, all the 880 such centres have been readied for the purpose.
Boats are also kept in readiness for rescue operations if required. The Indian Air Force, the Navy and Coast Guards have been alerted and their services will be utilised if necessary, Sethi said. The District Collectors of Ganjam, Khurda, Puri and Kendrapara have cancelled leaves of state government employees, as a part of the preparedness.
