Weather Forcast: Red Alert in Tamil Nadu! Cyclone Fani likely to instensify into ‘severe’ cyclonic storm in next 12 hours

Red Alert sounded in Tamil Nadu after weather department forecasted that Cyclone Fanii is likely to intensify into ‘severe’ cyclonic storm in next 12 hours and move northwestwards till April 30 and thereafter recurve northeastwards gradually.

“Cyclonic Storm ‘FANI’ lay centred at 0530 hrs over southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood, about 745 km east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1050 km southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1230 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), a bulletin by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The Cyclone Fani is heading closer to the coasts of north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh. It could strength into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm" today and reach the coast by Tuesday evening, the agency said.

“It is very likely to become 90-100 kmph gusting to 115 kmph from the evening of April 28 over the same area, 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph over south-west Bay of Bengal from morning of April 30, and 155-165 kmph gusting to 175 kmph over southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh Coasts from the evening of May 1,” the IMD said.
“Sea conditions very likely to be rough to very rough along and off Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from April 29 to May 1 and the west-central Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh coast on May 2,” it added.

“The fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep sea areas of south-east Bay of Bengal and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean, over Southwest Bay of Bengal and off Sri Lanka coast on April 28, southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, along and off Sri Lanka, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from April 29 to May 1 and west-central Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh coast on May 2,” the IMD further said.

The wind speed is likely to decrease gradually by May 3.

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