Cyclone Fani is expected to hit the Odisha coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali in the forenoon of Friday
The India Meteorological Department, or IMD, has cautioned people to not lower guard after the first arm of Cyclone Fani hits the east coast and moves forward, bringing the eye of the storm into the focus which is very calm.
As the eye inches forward, the very calmness brings further destruction as the second arm of the cyclone is equally violent.
An eye is the centre of a cyclone, which is calm, while the strong winds that circle it are known as the arms of the storm.
"There is a tendency to be complacent after the first arm of the cyclone moves ahead. The first arm brings destruction. The eye, which covers an area of 30-40 kilometres, is usually calm. But as the eye moves forward it is replaced by the second arm of the cyclone which is equally destructive," said Mritunjay Mohapatra, head of the cyclone warning division and additional director general of the IMD.
Cyclone Fani, which has intensified into an extremely severe cyclone is expected to hit the Odisha coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali in the forenoon of Friday.
The wind speed is expected to be 170-180 kmph that could reach up to 200 kmph when it makes the landfall.
The IMD has started issuing hourly bulletins on Cyclone Fani since Thursday.