Cyclone Fani to intensify in next 12 hours: How to prepare

Cyclone 'Fani' is likely to intensify into an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' by late night and can hit the Odisha coast by Friday afternoon, the India Meteorological Department said Tuesday. "It is very likely to intensify further into an extremely severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours. It is very likely to move northwestwards till May 1 evening and thereafter recurve north-northeastwards and reach Odisha coast by May 3 afternoon with maximum sustained wind of speed 170-180 kilometres per hour gusting to 200 kmph," the IMD said.

The wind speed of a cyclonic storm is 80-90 kilometres per hour 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 195-200 kmph.

Indian authorities are gearing up the preparations to tackle the natural disaster, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on high alert and are coordinating with the state governments. 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 central government has also assured the states on release of the first instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund in advance as per their request.

Light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places is very likely over Kerala, at a few places over north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 24 hours.

Heavy rainfall is very likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh on Thursday and light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places a day later. Odisha is expected to get light to moderate rainfall at many places from Thursday. South coastal Odisha is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on the same day.

Rainfall is likely to increase at most places with heavy to very heavy rains at a few places with "extremely heavy falls" at isolated places over coastal Odisha and its adjoining districts of interior Odisha on Thursday.

Here are some precautions you can follow to stay safe during the cyclone:

• Check the house; secure loose tiles and carry out repairs of doors and windows
• Remove dead branches or dying trees close to the house; anchor removable objects such as lumber piles, loose tin sheets, loose bricks, garbage cans, sign-boards etc. which can fly in strong winds
• Keep some wooden boards ready so that glass windows can be boarded if needed
• Keep a hurricane lantern filled with kerosene, battery operated torches and enough dry cells
• Keep some extra batteries for transistors
• Keep some dry non-perishable food always ready for use in emergency

Indian disaster management authority, the National Disaster Management Authority, has also repeatedly tweeted safety measures to spread awareness among citizens.

#CycloneFani pic.twitter.com/Gyd8hunqbR

— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) April 30, 2019

#CycloneFani pic.twitter.com/pM9Kzx95jB

— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) April 30, 2019

#CycloneFani pic.twitter.com/4YL2dCuI5o

— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) April 30, 2019

NDMA has also recommended battery-operated radio as a credible source for latest information during the cyclone.