ReliefWeb

The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘FANI’ (pronounced as ‘FONI’) over West central & adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal, moved west-northwestwards with a speed of about 05 kmph in last six hours. It is very likely to intensify further and move northwestwards and thereafter re-curve north- northeastwards and cross the Odisha Coast in India between Gopalpur and Chandbali, to the south of Puri in the afternoon of 3 May with maximum sustained wind speed of 175-185 kmph gusting to 205 kmph. The cyclone which has turned into an “extreme severe cyclonic” storm is about 450 kilometers from the Odisha Coast, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Tides could surge up to 1.5 meters around the time of the landfall.