Cyclone Fani Live Updates: Severe cyclone to hit Odisha's shores tomorrow; coast guard takes pre-emptive measures

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has taken pre-emptive measures to deal with cyclonic storm 'Fani' as it will hit the coastal state's shores tomorrow. The pre-emptive steps include equipping ships with disaster relief material, and the use of Dornier aircraft to warn fishing boats. According to an official statement, special community interaction programmes will also be organised in coastal areas of the state. Odisha has been put on "Yellow Alert" after the Indian Navy said that the cyclonic storm 'Fani' has intensified and turned into an "extremely severe cyclonic" storm. To ensure that widespread precautionary measures are in place in areas likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm, the ICG is in close liasioning with state administration as well as the India Meteorological Department (IMD), reported PTI. The storm over the Bay of Bengal which is about 660 km south-southwest of Puri is now threateningly rolling towards the Odisha coast at a speed of 14 km per hour. It is expected to cross Puri on May 3 afternoon, packing winds up to 175 kmph before landfall.

Follow the Cyclone Fani LIVE updates on BusinessToday.In blog:

12:04pm: Heavy rainfall predicted over North and South Coast of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Heavy to very Heavy rain & extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over North Coastal #AndhraPradesh & South Coastal #Odisha.

IMD

- NDMA India (@ndmaindia) 2 May 2019

11:56am: A series of pre emptive measures were undertaken by the ICG to ensure safety of lives at sea.

.@IndiaCoastGuard initiated series of pre-emptive measures from first sign of weather disturbance in Bay of Bengal on Apr 23, 2019 and implemented lessons learnt from Cyclone Ockhi to ensure safety of lives at sea.#FaniCyclone

Details here: https://t.co/SwmIViDtvj pic.twitter.com/wlpdt1Hk5c

- PIB India (@PIB_India) 1 May 2019

11:48am: The NDRF team has arrived in Ichchapuram, Andhra Pradesh in view of Cyclone Fani.

Andhra Pradesh: National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team arrives in Ichchapuram, Srikakulam in view of #CycloneFani. pic.twitter.com/jr3UafGyBZ

- ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2019

11:41am: The wind speed of a cyclonic storm is up to 100 kmph. However, the wind speed goes up to 170-180 kmph and could gain the speed of 195-200 kmph, in case of an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm'.

11:39am: India will be using a number of boats, buses and trains to evacuate as many as 800,000 people along its eastern coast.

11:35am: Two special trains will be started from Puri at 3pm and 6pm today for Howrah. Stoppage stations are Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur, Kendujhar road, Bhadrak, Balasore & Kharagpur.

South Eastern Railway: Two more special trains will start from Puri at 3 pm & 6 pm today for Howrah. Stoppages- Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur, Kendujhar road, Bhadrak, Balasore & Kharagpur. #CycloneFani

- ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2019

11:33am: South Eastern Railway has reportedly cancelled 43 trains scheduled to run between Howrah and Puri, and other destinations in south India over the next two days.

11:23am: Fani located around 230 kms south-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 420 km south southwest of Puri based on Radar image of 0850 hrs IST of 2nd May, 2019.

11:14am: Over 8 lakh people in the coastal districts have been evacuated, as per reports.

11:12am: According to officials in the state government, all schools and colleges have been closed for the next three days.

11:00am: A critically injured fisherman was evacuated by the Indian Coast Guard.

@IndiaCoastGuard #InterceptorBoat C-429 carried out #MedicalEvacuation of a critically injured #Fisherman onboard a #FishingVessel operating 44 Nautical miles off #Okha #Gujarat Coast. Injured fisherman condition OK & evacuated to Okha for specialist medical care @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/5qklH1ls2X

- Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) 2 May 2019

10:54am: The NDMA has advised fishermen to not enter the west-central and off-north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and South Andhra coasts as the sea conditions are likely to be phenomenal.

Sea conditions likely to be phenomenal over west-central & off north T.Nadu, Puducherry, South Andhra coasts & over northwest BOB.High to phenomenal sea conditions likely along & off Odisha & W.B coast; Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas.

IMD

- NDMA India (@ndmaindia) 2 May 2019

10:45am: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a list of do's and dont's before, during and after a cyclone inflicts damage to life and property. As many as 97.40 lakh SMSes, including 26.30 lakh today, have been sent through Early Warning Dissemination System (Location Based Alert System) to people living in areas that are likely to be affected by cyclone, the government said.

#CycloneFani pic.twitter.com/BeFWKdCjqY

- NDMA India (@ndmaindia) 1 May 2019

(Edited by: Nehal Solanki)

Also read: ONGC evacuates 500 employees before cyclone Fani makes landfall

Also read: Have taken pre-emptive measures to deal with cyclone Fani: Coast Guard