Fani likely to make landfall in Odisha on May 4, TN to get rain

Light to moderate rainfall is expected in the northern parts of Tamil Nadu under the influence of Cyclone Fani which is presently lying over the southwest Bay of Bengal, Area Cyclone Warning Centre Director S Balachandran said on Tuesday (April 30). Reports said cyclone Fani could make landfall in Odisha on May 4.

“Kumarikadal, Mannarvalaikuda and northern parts of the state would be receiving strong winds with speed ranging between 30 and 50 km per hour today,” he said.

Balachandran said the cyclone has intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm. It would continue to intensify and travel in northwest direction and gradually pass Odisha on May 3 in north and northeast direction, he said.

According to the India Meteorological Department, Fani is likely to intensify into an extremely severe cyclonic storm by late Tuesday night and can hit the Odisha coast by Friday afternoon.

Fishermen, Balachandran said, are advised not to venture into southwest Bay of Bengal on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Navy and Coast Guard ships and helicopters, relief teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) 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, officials said.

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country’s top body to deal with emergency situations, met here on Tuesday for the second time in as many days and reviewed the preparedness with the states and departments concerned of the central government to deal with the situation arising out of the cyclonic storm. In addition, the NDRF is keeping on standby 13 teams in West Bengal and 10 in Andhra Pradesh, the official said.