Cyclone Fani expected to hit North-East soon; Odisha on 'Yellow Alert'

Guwahati, May 1, 2019:

Cyclone Fani (pronounced 'Foni'), which is approaching the Odisha coast, has turned into an "extremely severe cyclonic" storm, the Navy said late last night.

The state has been put on a "yellow alert" by the weather department. The Election Commission has lifted the model code of conduct in the coastal districts of the state to ensure that the state is prepared to face Fani.

The Navy, the National Disaster Response Force, and the Coast Guard are on high alert. The Meteorological department has issued a "yellow warning" for the Odisha coast predicting heavy to very heavy rain in several areas.

Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh too are on high alert. Odisha's 879 multipurpose cyclone shelters have been kept ready. The shelters can accommodate about one million people during cyclones and floods.

From Odisha, the cyclone is expected to progress towards the North-East and Bangladesh. Very heavy rains are expected to hit the region when 'Fani' hits.