The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ has turned severely strong while moving northward and is scheduled to hit Odisha on May 3 with wind speed ranging to a maximum of 205 kilometres per hour, making it more severe than Titli, which hovered around 125 kmph to 175 kmph in various regions.
“Yesterday’s cyclonic storm ‘FANI’ (pronounced as ‘FONI’) over southeast Bay of Bengal (BoB) and neighbourhood moved nearly northwards and intensified into a severe cyclonic storm the same evening (1730 hrs IST).”
“It is very likely to intensify further into an extremely severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It is very likely to move northwestwards till 01st May evening and thereafter recurve north-northeastwards and cross Odisha Coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali, to the south of Puri around May 3 afternoon with maximum sustained wind of speed 175-185 km/h gusting to 205 km/h,” a press release by IMD reads.
IMD has also issued a moderate to heavy rainfall warning for the states such as Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal for May 2 and 3.
HOW IS INDIA PREPARING?
IMD has also been issuing three hourly bulletins with the latest forecast to all the states concerned. Regular warnings have been issued since April 25 to fishermen not to venture into the sea and asking those at sea to return to the coast.
Authorities have cancelled leaves of doctors and health staff in Odisha up to 15th May and those who are on leave have been asked to report back to respective Headquarters by today evening, in view of cyclone Fani.
Navy and Coast Guard ships and helicopters, relief teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in strategic locations, while Army and Air Force units have been put on standby as severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ is approaching towards India’s eastern coast. The Home Ministry is also in continuous touch with the state governments and the central agencies concerned.
“The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy have deployed ships and helicopters for relief and rescue operations. The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force units in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal have also been put on standby,” a Home Ministry official said.
“These ships are embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats and relief material that include food, tentage, clothes, medicines, blankets, in quantities sufficient. Naval aircraft are also standing by at the Naval Air Stations INS Rajali at Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu and INS Dega at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and airdrop of relief material to the stranded if required,” the Navy said.
The central and state governments in India have often been at odds at various instances in past over delay in the release of State Disaster Response Fund but this time the central government has assured the states to release the first instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund in advance as per their request, it said. The central government is keeping a close watch on the impact of the cyclonic storm on the states along the eastern coast.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday approved a proposal for lifting the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in the eleven coastal districts of Odisha to facilitate speedy rescue, relief and restoration activities, in view of cyclone Fani.
India’s disaster management authority, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has also constantly been issuing safety measure to spread awareness ahead of the cyclone.
Devdiscourse News Desk India
