Over 1 mn being evacuated as Cyclone Fani intensifies ahead of landfall

In total, about 1.2 million people are expected to be evacuated from low-lying areas of 15 districts in the eastern state of Odisha

India has accelerated efforts to evacuate more than a million people along its northeast coastline as a cyclone intensifies ahead of landfall on Friday, with thousands of villagers piling household possessions on to trucks before fleeing their homes.

Severe cyclonic storm Fani was churning up the Bay of Bengal about 275 km (171 miles) south-southwest of the Hindu temple town of Puri where special trains were put on to evacuate tourists and the beaches were empty.

In total, about 1.2 million people are expected to be evacuated from low-lying areas of 15 districts in the eastern state of Odisha to cyclone shelters, schools and other buildings, authorities said. More than 800,000 have left so far. “We are maximising efforts at all levels for evacuation,”

Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi told Reuters. Cyclone was generating maximum sustained winds of 170-180 km (105-111 miles) per hour, the state-run India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Cyclone tracker Tropical Storm Risk rated Fani category 4 storm, a notch below the worst level.

The cyclone fani will make landfall before Friday afternoon, the IMD said. The navy has deployed seven warships and has six planes and seven helicopters on standby along with divers, rubber boats, medical teams and relief materials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the central government will provide all possible assistance.

Authorities have also shut down operations at Paradip, Dhamra and Visakhapatnam ports. In Paradip, television footage showed residents piling bicycles, sewing machines and gas cylinders on to small trucks and leaving for any of nearly 900 shelters supplied with food, water and medicines.

Cyclone Fani to hit 10,000 towns, 52 towns; 223 trains dropped

Cyclone Fani is being seen as the most severe cyclonic storm over the east coast in nearly two decades. Stay with us for latest updates

Cyclone Fani made a landfall in Puri on Odisha coast this morning on Friday which triggered heavy rainfall coupled with high velocity winds with speed of 175 kmph in vast areas. Large areas in the seaside pilgrim town of Puri and other places were submerged with water as heavy rains battered the entire coastal belt of the state. Several trees were uprooted and thatched structures destroyed at some places including Bhubaneswar.

“The cyclone has entered the Odisha coast at Puri around 8 am and it will take around three hours for the entire landfall process to be completed,” Director of Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, H R Biswas said.

The government said that 10,000 villages and 52 towns in nine districts of Odisha are likely to be affected. Also, as many as 223 trains along the Odisha coastline in the Kolkata-Chennai route have been cancelled. The cyclonic system, whose eye is around 28 km, is moving at around 30 kmph, Biswas said, adding the process of landfall is expected to be complete around 11 AM. Flights to and from the Bhubaneswar airport have been cancelled for Friday (May 3) 

Cyclone Fani Highlights

Over 223 trains cancelled along the Odisha coastline

According to news agency PTI, as many as 223 trains along the Odisha coastline in the Kolkata-Chennai route have been cancelled in view of cyclone Fani, said the Indian Railways. The trains which have been cancelled include the Howrah-Chennai Central Coromandal Express, Patna-Eranakulam Express, New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express, Howrah-Hyderabad East Coast Express and the Bhubaneswar-Rameswaram Express.    

Cyclone Fani likely to move north-northeastwards in 6 hours: IMD

During next six hours, Cyclone Fani is very likely to move north-northeastwards and weaken into a very severe cyclonic storm, said the IMD

In the view of Cyclone Fani’s landfall in Odisha, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has cautioned about the imminent damage likely to be caused due to the cyclonic storm and has suggested action and steps to be taken for Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur districts of Odisha.

No casualty has so far been reported from any part of Odisha.

Under the impact of the Cyclone Fani, high velocity wind is sweeping across several coastal districts like Ganjam, Puri, Khurda and Gajapati….