Odisha Steps Up Early Measures For Cyclone ‘Fani’

Bhubaneswar: The state government has asked departments concerned to stay on alert and take necessary measures in advance, even though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that Cyclone Fani will have no impact on Odisha.

In a letter to all district collectors on Saturday, special relief commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi said, as per the latest bulletin received from IMD, the deep depression over east equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal that lay centred about 1,050 km off the Chennai coast and 1,230 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh at 8am on Sunday, is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and then turn into a severe cyclonic storm in the subsequent  24 hours. It will move towards the north-west direction by May 1 and then toward the north-east direction.

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

He also asked collectors to check all the cyclone/flood shelters and communication systems and ensure that these shelters are in proper usable condition.

Informing the media on Sunday, Duty Officer of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, DM Mahapatra said that the Cyclone Fani will turn into a very severe cyclonic storm by April 30. Under its influence, heavy rainfall will lash the south coastal district of Odisha for two days on May 2 and 3 while heavy rainfall will also lash at one two places in the north-east coastal districts.

He said the fishermen are advised not to venture into deep sea areas of the south-east Bay of Bengal and the adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean over the south-west Bay of Bengal and off Sri Lanka coast on April 28, southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal along and off Sri Lanka, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from April 29 to May 1 and the west-central Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh coast on May 2. “Those, who are out in deep sea areas are advised to return to the coast by April 28,” he added.