Cyclone Fani, one of the strongest storms to strike India in the last 20 years, made landfall around 8 a.m. Friday morning, local time,…
Cyclone Fani, one of the strongest storms to strike India in the last 20 years, made landfall around 8 a.m. Friday morning, local time, pummeling the country’s east coast with the equivalent force of a Category 3 hurricane.
Odisha Police Director General Sanjeeb Panda told CNN Fani is being blamed for at least seven fatalities. The storm made landfall near the city of Puri, in Odisha state.
A spokesperson with India’s government reported “extensive damage” to houses, old buildings, and temporary shops in Puri, with a complete loss of power. India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state forces are already at work clearing roads blocked off by downed trees left behind by Fani’s strong winds.
Update at 13:30 hrs #CycloneFani centre( 20.474N, 86.009E) between Cuttack and Denkanal. Moving at a speed 15 kmph in NEly direction. Eye diameter is 15.2 km. pic.twitter.com/5LXPeoO56v— Sitanshu Kar (@DG_PIB) May 3,2019
According to AccuWeather, at landfall, Fani was classified as an extremely severe cyclonic storm with winds of 180-190 km/h (112-118 mph) with gusts to 200 km/h (124 mph), which is equal to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic or East Pacific oceans.
More than 1 million people were evacuated ahead of the storm, while 11 districts along the Odisha coast were placed on red alert, and some 900 cyclone shelters were set up to house evacuees.
