India braces for Tropical Cyclone Fani, evacuates 800,000 people

India has commenced the evacuation of 800,000 people and organized emergency personnel as the country’s east coast prepares for a severe cyclonic storm.

It will be the fourth storm to hit the country’s east coast in thirty years, Aljazeera reports.

Tropical Cyclone Fani, located in the Bay of Bengal and packing wind speeds up to 200km per hour, is expected to make landfall on the coast of Odisha state on Friday.

Read also: Russian President, Putin signs controversial internet law

It was gathered that the state’s authorities said they hoped to have evacuated 800,000 people from the state’s coastal districts by Thursday morning.

“More people are being moved to safer places,” an official from the department told journalists on Thursday.

HR Biswas, director of the meteorological centre in state capital Bhubaneshwar, said at least 11 districts would be affected by severe rainfall.

“We have suggested people to stay indoors,” he told reporters.

The government also advised the pilgrims to leave the holy town, if possible, and to reschedule any unimportant travel in the region.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now