Cyclone Fani LIVE Updates: Heavy falls at isolated places are very likely over Kerala on April 29 and 30. (Express Photo by Nandagopal Rajan)
Weather forecast today, Cyclone Fani Highlights: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a weather warning stating that Cyclone Fani would transform into a severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and into a ‘very severe’ cyclonic storm in subsequent 24 hours. It is very likely to move northwestwards till May 1 evening and thereafter recurve north-northeastwards gradually, the bulletin said.
‘Fani’ is currently located about 620 km east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 880 km southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1050 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh).
Cyclone Fani will not make landfall in Tamil Nadu, but may bring light rain in some northern parts of the state, it said. Heavy falls at isolated places are very likely over Kerala on April 29 and 30, the weather department said in its 1 pm bulletin Sunday.
Strong winds with speeds reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph are likely to commence along and off the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast, Comorin area and Gulf of Mannar from Sunday and will intensify from Monday, the Sunday bulletin said.
With cyclone Fani likely to move northwestwards and then recurve north-northeastwards, Odisha Government on April 28 asked district collectors and departments concerned to remain alert and take necessary measures in advance.
Regular warnings have been issued since 25th April to fishermen not to venture into the sea and asking those at sea to return to the coast. IMD has been issuing three hourly bulletins with the latest forecast to all the concerned states. MHA is also in continuous touch with the state governments and the Central Agencies concerned.
NDRF and Indian Coast Guard have been put on high alert and placed at the disposal of State Government Authorities.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), landfall over Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh is ruled out. However, the possibility of landfall in Odisha is under continuous watch.
Expressing concern over the situation arising due to Cyclone Fani, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had spoken to officials to take preventive measure and provide assistance.
The next bulletin will be issued at 11:30 am today.
The Cyclonic Storm ‘FANI’ (pronounced as ‘FONI’) over southeast Bay of Bengal & neighbourhood moved northwards with a speed of about 04 kmph in last six hours and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST of April 29, 2019 near latitude 8.6°N and longitude 86.9°E over southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood, about 620 km east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 880 km southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1050 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), the bulletin 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 cyclone is seen moving towards the Indian coast in the north-west direction over the next two days (till April 30) before turning away and moving north-east. It is likely to attain its strongest force on May 1 and 2 when, at its centre, wind speeds could be as high as 185 km per hour. Read more here