Cyclone Fani likely to move northwestwards, then recurve north-northeastwards, predicts IMD: Odisha govt issues alert across state

Bhubaneswar: With cyclone Fani likely to move northwestwards and then recurve north-northeastwards, Odisha Government on Sunday asked district collectors and departments concerned to remain alert and take necessary measures in advance.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi in a letter to district collectors said although the IMD has not yet issued any warning for Odisha, international agencies like JTWC (Joint Typhoon Warning Centre) and others suggest that it may have some impact on Odisha.

Besides, some of the agencies have even indicated that the system may curve towards the north-east direction after approaching the coast, he said.

In the next few hours, the Cyclonic Storm #Fani is likely to intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm, which will further turn into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. #CycloneinTamilNadu #TamilNadu https://t.co/r2KBAtquCe

— Skymet (@SkymetWeather) April 28, 2019

Keeping the above in view, the districts are requested to closely watch the situation and keep the administrative machinery alert to face any eventuality, the SRC said.

The district collectors were also asked to check all the cyclone/flood shelters as well as communication systems and ensure that these shelters are in proper condition for use if necessary.

The cyclonic storm which now lay centred 1,230 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in next 12 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours, IMD said in a bulletin.

It is very likely to move northwestwards till 1 May evening and thereafter recurve north-northeastwards gradually. Under its impact, light to moderate rainfall is very likely at a few places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha on May 2. It is likely to increase in intensity with heavy rainfall over coastal Odisha from 3 May, it said.

As sea condition will be rough, fishermen are advised not to venture into north-west and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal along and off Odisha coast on 1 and 2 May.

Cyclone ‘Fani’ is very likely to intensify into a “severe cyclonic storm” in the next 12 hours and further soar into a “very severe cyclonic storm” in the next 24 hours, the Cyclone Warning Division of the MeT department said on Sunday.

In its 1 pm bulletin, the Cyclone Warning Division said ‘Fani’ currently lays over 745 kilometres east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1,050 kilometres southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1,230 kilometres south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh). “It is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours,” the IMD said.