Cyclone Fani LIVE UPDATES: Cyclone Fani, which is expected to make landfall at the Odisha coast by Friday forenoon, was nearly 65 kilometres from Gopalpur and 80 kilometres from Puri at 5.30, the Indian Meteorological Department said. The Cyclone Warning Division of the department said the wind speed of the Extremely Severe Cyclone Fani could reach 200-230 kilometres when it makes the landfall. On Thursday, IMD Director-General, K J Ramesh, told The Indian Express that the landfall initiation, when the outer spiral of the cyclone hits land, is expected around 11 am today near Puri. The landfall, which is when the centre of the cyclone reaches land, is expected by 2 pm.
Cyclone Fani LIVE UPDATES: Cyclone Fani, which is expected to make landfall at the Odisha coast by Friday forenoon, was nearly 65 kilometres from Gopalpur and 80 kilometres from Puri at 5.30, the Indian Meteorological Department said. The Cyclone Warning Division of the department said the wind speed of the Extremely Severe Cyclone Fani could reach 200-230 kilometres when it makes the landfall. On Thursday, IMD Director-General, K J Ramesh, told The Indian Express that the landfall initiation, when the outer spiral of the cyclone hits land, is expected around 11 am today near Puri. The landfall, which is when the centre of the cyclone reaches land, is expected by 2 pm.
An estimated seven lakh people have been evacuated from the coastal areas in Odisha, according to a senior official in the Special Relief Commissioner’s office. Other states on the eastern coast, such as West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, are also likely to be affected. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has appealed to the people not to panic as the government is fully prepared to deal with the situation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — India’s aviation safety regulator — has advised all airlines and operators to cancel flights to and from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, on May 3 and between 9.30pm on May 3 and 6pm on May 4. In Bengal too, the government is leaving no stone unturned to fight its impact in the coastal districts of South Bengal and areas close to Bangladesh border.
An estimated seven lakh people have been evacuated from the coastal areas in Odisha, according to a senior official in the Special Relief Commissioner’s office. Other states on the eastern coast, such as West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, are also likely to be affected. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has appealed to the people not to panic as the government is fully prepared to deal with the situation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — India’s aviation safety regulator — has advised all airlines and operators to cancel flights to and from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, on May 3 and between 9.30pm on May 3 and 6pm on May 4. In Bengal too, the government is leaving no stone unturned to fight its impact in the coastal districts of South Bengal and areas close to Bangladesh border.