Cyclone Fani To Intensify, Rain Likely In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh

The cyclone may intensify and bring heavy rain to coastal Odisha by May 3.

Cyclone Fani, that has been gaining strength in the south-east Bay of Bengal, is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours, the weather department said on Sunday. It is likely to bring light to moderate rain across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh over the next two days.

The cyclone is moving north-west at a speed of 16 km per hour and is likely to re-curve in the north-east direction after April 30, the weather department added.

Cyclone Fani was 1,050 km southeast of Chennai and 1,230 km away from Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, the Met office had tweeted early on Sunday.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai has however said that there is no cyclone threat to Tamil Nadu. "There is no chance of Fani crossing the Tamil Nadu coast," Director of Area Cyclone Warning Centre S Balachandran was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The cyclone may intensify and bring heavy rain to coastal Odisha by May 3. The state government has asked district officers and departments to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions. They have been instructed to check all cyclone/flood shelters and communication systems, PTI reported.

"Coastal areas may experience some gusty winds reaching 70 kmph, over the North of Sri Lanka coast. However, no danger is expected to the region as of now," private weather forecasting agency SkyMet tweeted

Wind speed is likely to intensify and reach nearly 175 km per hour over south-west and west-central Bay of Bengal off Puducherry and South Andhra Pradesh in the next three days. The weather department has also warned of rough sea conditions in Tami Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and has asked fishermen to not venture out.

(With inputs from PTI)