Bhubaneswar: The extremely severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ is now rapidly advancing towards the coastal areas of Odisha and currently it lay centred at 4.30hrs (IST) near latitude 18.90N and longitude 85.40E over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal about 110km south-southwest of Puri and 65km southeast of Gopalpur.
Fani stated to be the first severe cyclonic storm to have formed in April is continuing to gain strength as it moves closer to the Odisha coast.
Meanwhile keeping in mind the impact the cyclonic storm will have after landfall the Odisha Government has sought 20 additional units of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). They will be deployed at various districts which will be affected by the cyclone. At present, 28 NDRF teams are positioned in 14 districts. Apart from the NDRF teams, 20 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and 525 teams of fire service personnel have been deployed at various places of the coastal and adjoining districts in Odisha.