IMD issues warning for Cyclone Fani; forces on high alert ahead of 'severe' cyclone

Cyclone 'Fani' is very likely to intensify into a 'severe cyclonic storm' by Monday evening and could take shape of an 'extremely severe cyclone' by Thursday, IMD has warned. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on high alert and fishermen asked not to venture into the sea as cyclone

The cyclonic storm 'Fani' Monday morning was located at 880 km of South-East of Chennai and it will continue to move North-West and change its path to North-East from Wednesday.

The wind speed of a cyclonic storm is 80-90 kilometres per hours with wind gusting up to 100 kmph. In case of an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm', the wind speed goes up to 170-180 kmph and could gain the speed of 195 kmph.

Cyclonic Storm is about 880 km southeast of Chennai . It will intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm in next 12 hrs and into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm in subsequent 24 hrs. It will mov northwestwards till 01st May evening and thereafter recurve north-northeastwards gradually. pic.twitter.com/xYGBuLdUiM

— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) April 29, 2019

Light to moderate rainfall at few places is very likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha on Thursday. The precipitation is likely to increase in intensity with "heavy to very heavy rainfall" at isolated places over coastal Odisha and adjoining districts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh from Thursday. Light to moderate rainfall is expected at many places. Downpour at isolated places is also very likely to start over coastal districts of West Bengal from Friday, the IMD said.

The Cyclone Warning Division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the storm currently lays about 620 km east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 880 km southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1050 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

"It is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next six hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours. It is very likely to move northwestwards till May 1 evening and thereafter recurve north-northeastwards gradually," the bulletin said. It is likely to further intensify into an "extremely severe cyclone" by Thursday, the IMD said.

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's top body to deal with an emergency situation, Monday took stock of the situation arising out of the cyclone 'Fani' and assured the state governments concerned of all assistance from the central government to face the storm. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on high alert and the fishermen were asked not to venture into the sea as cyclone 'Fani' is expected to intensify into a very severe storm by Tuesday, the Home Ministry said.

The NCMC met here under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha and took stock of the situation. Chief secretaries, principal secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal attended the meeting through video conference. Senior officers from the central ministries and agencies concerned also attended the meeting.

The home ministry has assured the state governments to release in advance the first instalment of State Disaster Response Fund, as per their request, a home ministry statement said. During the meeting, officers of all the state governments concerned confirmed their full preparedness to deal with any emerging situation arising out of the cyclonic storm.

Further, the state governments have adequately warned fishermen not to venture into the sea and highlighted that there is a seasonal ban on fishing in the sea up to June 14 due to breeding season. The state governments were advised to effectively enforce this ban.

According to the IMD, its landfall over Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh is ruled out. However, the possibility of landfall in Odisha is under continuous watch. 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.

The IMD has been issuing three hourly bulletins with the latest forecast to all the states concerned. The home ministry is also in continuous touch with the state governments and the central agencies concerned, the statement said. The NCMC meeting followed directions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is closely monitoring the situation. The NCMC will meet again Tuesday to take stock of the situation.