Mass evacuations as storm moves up India's coast

International Desk: Thousands of people are being evacuated from villages along India's eastern coastline ahead of a severe cyclone.

Cyclone Fani is heading towards the state of Orissa with wind speeds in excess of 200 km/h (127 mph), and is expected to make landfall on Friday.

Officials have shut down operations at two major ports on the east coast, and thousands of officials are helping to evacuate people in low-lying areas.
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states are also on high alert.


About 800,000 people are being evacuated, officials said. Nearly 100,000 live in the city of Puri where Fani is predicted to make landfall on Friday morning.
Puri is also home to the 858-year-old Jagannath temple and officials fear it could be damaged by the cyclone.

All schools and universities in the state have shut.

The Indian Navy said it had sent seven warships to the area, and six planes and seven helicopters were on standby for relief operations.

Forecasters have warned that torrential rain could trigger a storm surge of about 1.5m (5ft) in some low-lying areas of Orissa, also known as Odisha.
Cyclone Fani will be the fourth storm to hit the country's east coast in the last three decades.

In 2017, Cyclone Ockhi killed more than 200 people and displaced hundreds. In October of last year, officials in Orissa evacuated hundreds of thousands of people when another cyclone struck.

India's National Disaster Management Authority has warned people along the east coast, especially fishermen, not to go out to sea because the conditions are "phenomenal".

The agency said the "total destruction of thatched houses" was possible, as well as "extensive damage" to other structures.

Once the cyclone has made landfall, it is expected to move towards Chittagong in Bangladesh in a weaker form on Saturday.

Source: Agencies


risingbd/May 3, 2019/Mukul