Cyclone Fani: MHA orders advance release of Rs 1,086 cr assistance to 4 states

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ordered the advance release of financial assistance of Rs 1,086 crore to the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) of four states, to deal with cyclone 'Fani', which is approaching the Indian coast. The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's apex body to handle an emergency situation, took the decision to release the first instalment of the SDRF on Monday.

Union Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha chaired a meeting of the NCMC to take stock of the situation arising out of the cyclonic storm 'Fani' which is located over 800 km south-east of Chennai. During the meeting, officers of the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal governments said that they were fully prepared to deal with any situation that arises out of the cyclonic storm.

Of the sanctioned amount, Odisha will receive Rs 340.87 crore, Tamil Nadu Rs 309.37 crore, West Bengal Rs 235.50 crore and Andhra Pradesh will get Rs 200.25 crore.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD)'s Tuesday forecast, "Cyclone 'Fani' is likely to intensify into an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' by late night and can hit the Odisha coast by Friday afternoon."

"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.

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.