“Fani” Developing Into a Severe Cyclone

Wepen, April 27, 2019: The first cyclone to hit the Indian Coast in 2019 is expected to affect South India on Sunday. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has declared that a tropical storm “Fani” is forming over South-East Bay of Bengal and adjoining East Equatorial Indian Ocean.

Fani lay centered about 870 km 1240 km South-East of Chennai at 2.30pm on Saturday. It is supposed to develop into a severe cyclone by Sunday and move northwestwards off Sri Lanka coast and reach North Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts by Tuesday.

Though IMD suggests that the very severe cyclone Fani would spare the north Tamil Nadu coast from a direct hit, the region will have to bear the brunt of high winds.

IMD said that the strong storm classified as a very severe cyclone will retain the status till Thursday. Winds may accelerate to 100 km per hour to 115 kmph off Sri Lanka coast from Sunday evening.


The IMD has issued a red alert for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Thursday. The weather department has forecast heavy rainfall over isolated places in Kerala on April 29 and 30th. Light to moderate rainfall is also likely to occur in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on April 30 and May 1.

An advisory has been issued for fishermen not to venture into deep seas in southeast Bay of Bengal, adjoining east equatorial Indian Ocean and off the Sri Lanka coast. The condition of the sea will be rough off the coasts of Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh from April 29 to May 1.

The IMD forecast predicts wind speeds reaching around 50 km per hour in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and Kerala.