Cyclone FANI expected to hit Odisha coast between 10 am and 12 noon

Bhubaneswar: Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm FANI over Bay of Bengal is expected to hit Odisha coast between 10 am and 12 noon tomorrow, said SRC spokesperson Sangram Mohapatra quoting IMD reports today.

It is likely to cross Odisha coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali, around Puri with maximum sustained wind speed of 170-180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph, a bulletin of the IMD said.

‘FANI’ over west-central Bay of Bengal moved further north-northeastwards with a speed of about 16 kmph and lay centred at 11.30 am over west-central Bay of Bengal about 360 km south-southwest of Puri.

Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is very likely to prevail along Odisha coast and become gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 85 kmph from May 2 night.

It is very likely to become 170-180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph along & off south Odisha; and 90-100 kmph gusting to 115 kmph along & off remaining districts of coastal Odisha by May 3 forenoon for subsequent 12 hours and decrease thereafter.

Storm surge of about 1.5 meter height above astronomical tide is very likely to inundate low lying areas of Ganjam, Khurda, Puri & Jagatsinghpur Districts of Odisha at the time of landfall.