Cyclone Fani likely hit Odisha coast on Friday

Cyclone 'Fani' is expected to make landfall on the Odisha coast between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Friday, said an official.

"We have received information from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) that the extremely severe cyclonic storm will make landfall near Puri on May 3, said the Office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC).

Speeding over West-central Bay of Bengal, Fani moved north-northeastwards at about 16 kmph in last six hours and lay centred about 360 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha), 190 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 550 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal).

It will very likely to move further north-northeastwards and cross the Odisha Coast around Puri, between Gopalpur and Chandbali, by May 3 afternoon with a maximum sustained wind speed of 170-180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph, the IMD said. IANS