An Indian fisherman runs between the docked fishing boats amid strong winds at Chandrabhaga beach in Puri district of eastern Odisha state, India, Thursday, 2 May 2019. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated along India's eastern coast on Thursday as authorities braced for a cyclone moving through the Bay of Bengal that was forecast to bring extremely severe wind and rain. Photo: AP Photo
An Indian fisherman runs between the docked fishing boats amid strong winds at Chandrabhaga beach in Puri district of eastern Odisha state, India, Thursday, 2 May 2019. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated along India’s eastern coast on Thursday as authorities braced for a cyclone moving through the Bay of Bengal that was forecast to bring extremely severe wind and rain. Photo: AP Photo

NEW DELHI, 2 May 2019 (AP) – Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated along India’s eastern coast on Thursday as authorities braced for a cyclone moving through the Bay of Bengal that was forecast to bring extremely severe wind and rain.

The India Meteorological Department in New Delhi said Cyclone Fani was expected to make landfall on Friday with gale-force winds of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) per hour likely starting Thursday night. It warned of “extremely heavy falls” over parts of the state of Odisha and its southern neighbor Andhra Pradesh.

Clouds loom ahead of Cyclone Fani in Visakhapatnam, India, 1 May 2019. Photo: REUTERS
Clouds loom ahead of Cyclone Fani in Visakhapatnam, India, 1 May 2019. Photo: REUTERS

India’s National Disaster Management Authority forecast “high to phenomenal” sea conditions for most of the Indian states along the Bay of Bengal. Fishermen were advised not to venture into deep waters. A 1.5-meter (4.9-foot) storm surge was expected to inundate low-lying areas.

Fearing that Fani could be the worst storm since 1999, when a cyclone killed around 10,000 people and devastated large parts of Odisha, Indian officials put the navy, air force, army and coast guard on high alert, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Cabinet ministers and weather and disaster-response officials for a briefing on the measures being taken.

The Meteorological Department projected “total destruction” of thatched-roof huts, flooding of farmland and orchards, and the uprooting of telephone poles.

Villagers of Chandrabhaga fishing village take shelter at a government run school building after they were evacuated by the authorities in Puri district of eastern Odisha state, India, Thursday, 2 May 2019. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated along India's eastern coast on Thursday as authorities braced for a cyclone moving through the Bay of Bengal that was forecast to bring extremely severe wind and rain. Photo: AP Photo
Villagers of Chandrabhaga fishing village take shelter at a government run school building after they were evacuated by the authorities in Puri district of eastern Odisha state, India, Thursday, 2 May 2019. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated along India’s eastern coast on Thursday as authorities braced for a cyclone moving through the Bay of Bengal that was forecast to bring extremely severe wind and rain. Photo: AP Photo

Odisha’s special relief commissioner, Bishnupada Sethi, said that preparations for Fani included the country’s largest evacuation operation, of around 880,000 people.

More than 800 shelters were opened and around 100,000 dry food packets were ready to be airdropped.

“We’ve been preparing plans for the last few days to ensure that all the people who are vulnerable will be shifted to our cyclone centers,” Sethi said. [more]

India prepares for ‘extremely severe’ Bay of Bengal cyclone

Predicted path of Cyclone Fani on 2 May 2019. Data: Indian Meteorological Department. Graphic: BBC
Predicted path of Cyclone Fani on 2 May 2019. Data: Indian Meteorological Department. Graphic: BBC

Cyclone Fani: Mass evacuations as storm moves up India’s coast

2 May 2019 (BBC News) – 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 told the BBC. Nearly 100,000 live in the city of Puri where Fani is predicted to make landfall on Friday morning.

Dark clouds loom over locals standing at a beach in Puri district of eastern Odisha state, India, Thursday, 2 May 2019. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated along India's eastern coast on Thursday as authorities braced for a cyclone moving through the Bay of Bengal that was forecast to bring extremely severe wind and rain. Photo: AP Photo
Dark clouds loom over locals standing at a beach in Puri district of eastern Odisha state, India, Thursday, 2 May 2019. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated along India’s eastern coast on Thursday as authorities braced for a cyclone moving through the Bay of Bengal that was forecast to bring extremely severe wind and rain. Photo: AP Photo

Puri is also home to the 858-year-old Jagannath temple and officials fear it could be damaged by the cyclone. […]

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. […]

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”. [more]

Cyclone Fani: Mass evacuations as storm moves up India’s coast