Cyclone ‘Fani’ intensifies, heavy rainfall expected, Indian Air Force, Navy on high alert

Cyclone Fani on Tuesday intensified into severe cyclonic storm over Bay of Bengal. The Meteorological department has issued high alert and has asked fishermen not to venture into sea. Cyclone Fani intensified into a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ on Monday evening and headed towards the Odisha coast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. It could take a shape of an ‘extremely severe cyclone’ by Wednesday, prompting the government to put the National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Coast Guard on high alert, officials said.

In its 9 pm bulletin, the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD said the storm currently lays about 620 km east-northeast of the Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, 770 km east-southeast of Chennai and 900 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he has spoken to officials regarding the situation. “Spoke to officials regarding the situation arising due to Cyclone Fani. Asked them to take preventive measures and be prepared to provide all possible assistance. Also urged them to work closely with Governments of the affected states. Praying for everyone's safety and wellbeing,” PM Modi tweeted.

The Indian Air Force in a tweet said that it is ready to provide assistance to the people of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu in the advent of Cyclone Fani.

Taking to micro blogging website Twitter Indian Navy tweeted, “As the cyclone storm FANI intensifies into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over SE & adjoining SW Bay of Bengal & lie about 770 km ESE of Chennai at 1730 h/ 29 Apr, the Eastern Naval CD (ENC) has assumed high degree of readiness 2 render necessary humanitarian assistance. Indian Naval ships at Visakhapatnam & Chennai are ready & standing-by to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake Humanitarian Aid Distress Relief (HADR), evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid (sic).”

“These ships are embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats & relief material that include food, tentage, clothes, medicines, blankets etc, in quantities sufficient. Naval aircraft are also standing by at the Naval Air Stations INS Rajali at Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu and INS Dega at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material to the stranded if required,” it added.

Naval aircraft are also standing by at the Naval Air Stations INS Rajali at Arakkonam, Tamilnadu and INS Dega at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material to the stranded if required 4/4 pic.twitter.com/OsdawHII50

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) April 30, 2019