As per information, in Puri, extensive damage to kuchha houses, old buildings and temporary shops. No confirmed report of deaths, but 160 reportedly injured. Power and telecom is completely down. NDRF and State forces are clearing roads, Sitanshu Kar, DG PIB
AMN / WEB DESK
The intensity of cyclonic storm FANI which hit Odisha in the morning today has weakened. The Extremely Severe Cyclonic storm has reduced to very severe cyclonic storm. It is very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and weaken further into a severe cyclonic storm.
FANI is likely to hit coastal areas of West Bengal tonight or tomorrow morning. Several districts, including East and West Midnapore, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Jhargram and Sundarbans are likely to be hit by the storm before it moves towards Bangladesh.
A warning has been issued in the state. All precautionary measures have been taken to deal with evolving situation.
A special control room has been set up at the State headquarters for round-the-clock monitoring of the situation.
NDRF teams have been put on standby in the state as well as Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
The Indian Coast Guard and the Navy have deployed ships and helicopters for relief and rescue operations. Army and Air Force units in the three States have also been put on standby.
In Odisha, the storm left a trail of destruction after making landfall in Puri district this morning.
Thousand of trees, electric poles were uprooted and thatched houses destroyed at some places including Bhubaneswar and Jagatsinghpur. It triggered heavy rainfall coupled with high-velocity winds of 175 to 200 kmph.
Torrential rain occurred in several parts of the State, including Puri, Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur. Puri town and adjoining areas were submerged as heavy downpours battered the entire coastal belt.
The State government undertook a massive operation and evacuated around 11 lakh people to safety in 13 districts and have been accommodated in over 4,200 shelters, including 880 specially designed cyclone centres.