On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the preparations for cyclonic storm Fani, along with the Cabinet Secretary, officials from National Disaster Response Force and the IMD. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has already released Rs 1086 crore to four states likely to be affected.
Odisha has been racing against time to evacuate citizens from Fani's path, which is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon in Puri. Extensive damage is anticipated as wind speed is likely to touch 200 kmph and will be accompanied by rainfall. Fani will be the most powerful cyclone since 2014's Hudhud that stormed Visakhapatnam.
Over six lakh people were already evacuated by Thursday evening and the target was to evacuate over 10 lakh, said Bishnupada Sethi, Special Relief Commissioner of Odisha. The highest evacuees were from Ganjam district.
"We have tried our best to reach out to every person through SMS, siren and door-to-door warnings. Our target is to give them safe haven in 879 cyclone centres," Sethi told DNA. The centres can withstand heavy winds, lightning and house 1,000 people each. There are also 4,000 other shelters that can also be used.
Fani is expected to move on to West Bengal at a wind speed of 60-70 kmph. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a red alert in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.
Whirlwind Operations
Fani is the first cyclonic storm of such severity to hit the region in 43 years. It is rolling menacingly towards Odisha coast at 200 kmph, will progress to West Bengal and taper off. Parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are also likely to be affected
3 special trains from Puri
- Three special trains pressed into service to ferry stranded passengers: Puri-Shalimar (WB); 2 from Puri to Howrah. 95 trains were cancelled over Wednesday and Thursday; six more cancelled for Friday, including Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and Puri-New Delhi Nandan Kanan Express.
Coast Guard preps
- One Chetak helicopter, two ships and four rescue teams have been posted in Vizag and Chennai each for immediate mobilization. Two Dornier aircraft in Chennai configured to rush Gemini boats to the seas.
Evacuation process
- Over 11.5 lakh people from 13 districts have to be shifted to cyclone shelters. More than 1,000 pregnant women in Orissa shifted to hospitals. Free kitchens readied for evacuees. Over one lakh dry food packets ready for air-dropping. DRTs and MTs at standby in Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Chilka and Kolkata.
Wildlife concerns
- The fate of about 3,000 spotted deer in Balukhand sanctuary in Odisha has become uncertain as wild animals cannot be evacuated to safe places. Forest officials are also trying to generate awareness among the local people not to harm the animals and provide them shelter during the cyclone.
Precautions by the bay of bengal
- Operations at Paradip port in Odisha and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh have been shut and ships have been ordered to move out to sea. ONGC has evacuated close to 500 employees from offshore installations in the Bay of Bengal and moved drilling rigs to safer locations. Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea till May 4. All operations have been stopped at Paradip Port and Cautionary Distant Warning Signal Number Three was hoisted in all ports in Odisha.
Airports to shut partially
- Flight operations from Bhubaneswar airport suspended for 24 hours from Thursday midnight. No flights will depart or arrive at Kolkata airport between 9.30 pm (May 3) and 6 pm (May 4). “Resumption of flights will be with positive clearance from respective air traffic control,” DGCA said.
Navy, IAF, Coast guard ready
- 54 NDRF teams posted at seacoast and 31 at bases, comprising doctors, deep divers, etc. 8 ships with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Units on standby at Visakhapatnam. Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and 335 fire service units deployed. Leave of all doctors and health officials in Orissa cancelled till May 15.
