Cyclone Fani has slammed into India's eastern coastline. More than a million people have been evacuated from the state of Orissa, also known as Odisha.</s>4 May 2019: According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s (BMD) Special Weather Bulletin No. 45, severe cyclonic storm “Fani” weakened into a deep depression located over the Paban-Tangail-Mymensingh region and adjoining area. Under the influence of “Fani,” the sky remains overcast and rain/thunder showers with gusty/squally wind is continuing at many locations throughout the country. Presently, windspeed of about 50-60 kilometers per hour is likely at many locations around the country, while windspeed of about 40-50 kilometers per hour is likely over the North Bay area. Under the influence “Fani” and the new moon phase, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Chattogram, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur, Borguna, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirozpur, Jhalokathi, Bagherhat, Khulna, Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars, are likely to be inundated by storm surges of two to four feet in height above normal astronomical tide levels. The whole country will experience heavy rainfall and storms today. After making landfall in Bangladesh, “Fani” will move towards Assam. “Though it weakened, Fani is still is a very severe cyclone. The whole country will experience rainfall and cyclonic storm on 4-5 May 2019,” said BMD’s Director Shamsuddin Ahmed.

The special report from Bangladesh’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, released on 3 May, anticipated risks of flooding and flash floods in the North/North-East districts of Jessore, Kustia,

 Rajshahi, Bogura and Natore, with heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding within the next 72 hours.

At a press conference, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) informed that 4,071 cyclone shelters in 19 coastal districts were prepared to shelter 2.1 million to 2.5 million persons. The MoDMR’s State Minister stated that 1,240,795 people from coastal regions were evacuated on 3 May to cyclone shelters, where dry food, medicine and drinking water was provided. All evacuees were requested to return home today. To date, the MoDMR has distributed 19-plus tons of rice, 50 million Bangladeshi Taka in cash assistance and distributed 41,000 dry food rations. A total of 32 naval vessels are positioned in Chittagong, Khulna, and Mongla to provide emergency relief and medical assistance. The operations of all civilian water vessels are still suspended until further notice. The Bangladesh Navy is currently undertaking a relief operation for thousands of people isolated on a char in Bhola, a district which has been severely impacted by the cyclone.

The Ministry of Health has informed that, so far, 14 people have lost their lives and that 43 people were injured, primarily due to lightning strikes and fallen trees in different parts of the country. In Barishal, most of the fishing boats which ventured into the deep sea have not yet returned to shore.
• None In Bagerhat, a 200-metre-wide embankment collapsed. Also, at least three villages in Bagerhat’s Shoronkhola area were flooded.
• None In Patuakhali, at least 17 villages were flooded due to the collapse of dykes in Kalapara, Mirzagonj and Rangabali, following the impact of the tidal surge. Standing crops in different districts were damaged.
• None In Cox’s Bazar’s remote island of Kutubdia, at least 20 villages were inundated.
• None In Bhola, more than 200 homes were destroyed.
• None In Gopalganj, farmers are at risk of losing their crops due to the looming threat of floods.

In the refugee camps, several shelters, latrines and health facilities were affected. Preliminary reports estimate that nearly 900 refugees were affected, including 211 who were displaced. BMD Special Weather Bulletin 45 announced that “Fani” had weakened into a deep depression, which triggered a lowering of the warning signal in Cox’s Bazar to Distant Cautionary Signal 3. As a result, the alert system in the camps also lowered its single flag warning.

While the impact of “Fani” is still unfolding in the North/North-East of the country, so far, the significant preparedness and immediate response measures taken by the authorities, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and volunteers have limited the loss of lives and the damage to property and infrastructure. However, immediate high risks remain as well as short/medium-term risks related to the possible loss of livelihood due to the impact of the cyclone which coincides with the early stage of the annual monsoon season.

The humanitarian community is monitoring the overall situation – in close collaboration with the national authorities and their partners – and is supporting the conveying of safety precautions to the communities at risk.

Today, the Director General of the Department of Disaster Management hosted a meeting with the members of the Needs Assessment Working Group. A detailed joint analytical report on the impact of the cyclone will be produced in 72 hours, starting tomorrow. Based on the report and, in agreement with the authorities, possible complementary response support from the humanitarian community will be discussed and agreed upon.</s>People of heaved a sigh of relief as severe cyclonic storm Fani weakened on Saturday morning and was moving towards neighbouring Bangladesh, a senior of the said.

The city witnessed wind speeds of 30-40 kmph with moderate to heavy rainfall overnight, he said.

There was no report of any casualty or damage in the districts through which the cyclone passed, officials said.

"Fani is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and weaken further over the next six hours.

"It is very likely to move further north-northeastwards and enter around noon as a deep depression with wind speeds of 50-60 kmph, gusting to 70 kmph," of the here told

The very severe cyclonic storm weakened into a severe cyclonic storm over the Odisha coast, before moving further north-northeastwards and entering through Kharagpur in West Midnapore around 12.30 am on Saturday.

"It has moved to Arambagh in Hooghly and is now in district...and is moving towards district," Bandyopadhyay said.

A senior said apart from a few mud houses collapsing and tress falling, there were no reports of casualties from any of the districts. "However, we are awaiting further details," he added.

Firhad Hakim, along with senior engineers of the civic body and local councillors, was on a night-long vigil in and around the city to keep a tab on the situation.

"We had made arrangements to act on an emergency basis had Fani hit the city. But thank god nothing has happened," Hakim told

Meanwhile, flight operations resumed at the airport at 9.57 am on Saturday, an (AAI) said.

were suspended at the airport from 3 pm on Friday.

on the Sealdah and Howrah sections were also getting back to normal, the officials said.

Five persons were injured when a portion of the roof of a hutment collapsed on Friday night in the central part of the city's Beniatola Lane, police said.

All the five injured persons were released after treatment.

The government had taken precautionary measures in East and West Midnapore, 24 Pargana districts, besides Howrah, Hooghly, Jhargram, and the Sundarbans.

The cyclone barrelled through Odisha on Friday, unleashing copious rain and windstorm that gusted up to 175 kmph, killing at least eight people, blowing away thatched houses and swamping towns and villages.</s>Dhaka: A mammoth preparation exercise that included the evacuation of more than 1 million people appears to have spared India a devastating death toll from one of the biggest storms in decades, though the full extent of the damage was yet to be known, officials said on Saturday.

Cyclone Fani packed sustained wind speeds of 250 kilometres per hour when it made landfall in eastern Odisha state on Friday, equivalent in strength to a Category 4 hurricane, said Mohammad Heidarzadei, an expert on cyclones at Brunel University of London.

As of late Saturday, India's National Disaster Response Force director S.N. Pradhan said three people had been killed, though the storm smashed thatched- roof huts, uprooted trees and power lines, ripped the roof off a medical college and sprayed the emptied coastline with debris.

"The precautions that have been taken should be continued," Pradhan said.</s>NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian officials are trying to find out if there are any casualties from Cyclone Fani, after one of the biggest storms to hit the eastern coast in decades tore through the state of Odhisha, causing heavy damage to infrastructure.

Randeep Kumar of the National Disaster Response Force says roads are blocked due to fallen trees on Saturday. Electrical posts are down causing power disruptions while water supply is also damaged.

The agency is still trying to gauge if there are any casualties.

Mohammad Heidarzadei, an expert on storms and cyclones at Brunel University of London, says the cyclone packed sustained wind speed of 250 kilometers (155 miles) per hour when it hit land, placing it under Category 4.

He says it has now headed toward the India-Bangladesh border.</s>DHAKA, Bangladesh — A mammoth evacuation of more than 1 million people appears to have spared India a devastating death toll from one of the biggest storms in decades, though the full extent of the damage was yet to be known, officials said Saturday.

Cyclone Fani packed winds of 155 mph when it made landfall in eastern Odisha state Friday, equivalent in strength to a Category 4 hurricane, said Mohammad Heidarzadei, an expert on cyclones at Brunel University of London.

As of late Saturday, India’s National Disaster Response Force director S.N. Pradhan said three people were killed, though the storm smashed thatched-roof huts, uprooted trees and power lines, ripped the roof off a medical college and pounded the emptied coastline with debris.

“The precautions that have been taken should be continued,” Pradhan said.

Officials cautioned that the death toll could rise as communications are restored.

Fani crossed over India’s West Bengal state and moved northeast toward Bangladesh on Saturday, weakening from a severe cyclonic storm to a cyclonic storm.

At least a dozen people had been confirmed killed in Bangladesh as the cyclone hovered over the country’s southwestern coast Saturday, delivering battering rain storms. Lightening killed at least six people, local media reported.

Stormy weather from the system was projected to affect around 100 million people in South Asia, from India’s distant Andaman Islands to Mount Everest in Nepal.

The relatively low casualty count demonstrates much improved disaster readiness in India since 1999, when a “super” cyclone killed around 10,000 people and devastated large parts of Odisha.

“In the event of such a major calamity like this — where Odisha was hit by close to a super-cyclone — instead of being a tragedy of humongous proportion, we are in the process of restoring critical infrastructure. That is the transformation that Odisha has had,” the state’s top government official, Naveen Patnaik, said in a statement.

India’s disaster response agency said authorities were working “on war footing” to restore power and communications, and clear roads of debris.

Widespread power failures, damaged water supplies and roads blocked by fallen trees and power lines made transport around the affected area difficult, officials said.

Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra, the deputy relief commissioner at Odisha’s emergency center, said his phone line and internet were down for most of Saturday.

“Earlier we were not able to connect with authorities for infrastructure damage, how many houses are damaged or how many people have died or were injured,” he said.</s>Equipment at Bhubaneswar airport have been significantly damaged but flight operations are expected to begin by 1 pm Saturday, the civil aviation ministry said in a statement Friday.

"The passenger terminal building at Bhubaneswar has been considerably damaged, particularly at the rooftop and facades... Based on the feedback and action taken, it was decided that Bhubaneswar will resume commercial flight operations with effect from 1300 IST on May 4, 2019," the statement said.

As the rooftop of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower has been blown away, affecting very high frequency (VHF) antennas at the rooftop, the ministry said that alternate ATC arrangements have been made at the airport.

"There is also considerable damage to the perimeter wall of operational area to the extent of 600 metres at various places. Adequate security arrangements have been made to address the issue," the ministry said.

The cyclone rolled through Odisha on Friday, packing rain and windstorm that gusted up to 175 kmph, leaving at least three people dead, blowing away thatched houses, and swamping towns and villages.

Before ministry's statement, Principal Spokesperson of the Government of India Sitanshu Kar had tweeted,"Significant damage to equipment at airport at Bhubaneshwar... Teams from the Airport Authority of India are working on restoration. Aircraft movements expected by 1300 hrs tomorrow i.e, 04 May 2019,"

Earlier in the day, Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said no flights will depart or arrive at Kolkata airport from 3 pm Friday to 8 am Saturday in view of the cyclonic storm 'Fani', which slammed into the Odisha coast in the morning.

On Thursday, the regulator said there would be no flights to and from Kolkata airport between 9.30 pm Friday and 6 pm Saturday.

Therefore, on Friday afternoon, Vistara airline reinstated a few flights to and from Kolkata airport after receiving the revised DGCA advisory.

Sanjiv Kapoor, the chief strategy and commercial officer of Vistara, said on Twitter, "Lots of disruption today due to Cyclone Fani and closure of Bhubaneswar and Kolkata airports. And then a flash storm in Delhi that resulted in diversions. Call centre also swamped. Tough day for passengers and staff alike, thanks for your patience and understanding".

Vistara has around 4 per cent of domestic passenger market share.

On Friday, IndiGo announced on Twitter that due to cyclone Fani, all flights to and from Kolkata have been cancelled for Saturday till 6 pm.

It added, "All flights to and from Bhubaneswar have been cancelled for May 4 till 3 pm."

The low-cost carrier, which has around 44 per cent of domestic passenger market share, advised its customers to go to a link on its website in order to opt for alternate options or get a refund.</s>NEW DELHI: In view of Cyclone Fani, which is expected to make landfall close to Gopalpur near Puri at around 9:30 AM on Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has set up a control room and started a helpline number 1938 for giving more updates about the cyclone.

The Home Ministry informed that it has set up a control room and anyone who needs assistance or updates on Cyclone Fani can call on the helpline number 1938.

Cyclone Fani, the most severe storm since the super cyclone of 1999 that killed 10,000 people in Odisha, is expected to hit the coast south of Puri around 8.30 AM.

The landfall is likely to continue till noon and, after that, the cyclone is expected to move north-westwards and gradually weaken as it reaches West Bengal by early Saturday morning.

The Odisha government has already evacuated lakhs of people from the coastal areas to camps on higher grounds.

The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and disaster management agencies are on fully prepared and on standby.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness for Cyclone Fani.

In the meeting, after reviewing the emerging situation, PM instructed senior officers of the central government to maintain close coordination with officers of the affected states. He also asked them to ensure preventive measures, and also to take effective steps for relief and rescue operations, as required.

The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary to the PM, the Additional Principal Secretary to the PM, the Home Secretary, and other senior officials from the IMD, NDRF, NDMA and PMO.

Cyclone Fani is expected to hit the coast of Odisha on Friday and several coastal districts in the state as well as in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu could witness heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by winds with triple-digit speeds.

Nearly eight lakh people are being evacuated from low-lying areas of the state as a precautionary measure.

East Coast Railway said that as many as four trains have been cancelled while another three have been diverted due as precautionary measures in the wake of Cyclone Fani.</s>Cyclone Fani (pronounced Foni) rolled through Odisha Friday, bringing rain and windstorm that gusted up to 175 kmph, leaving at least three people dead, blowing away thatched houses, and swamping towns and villages. The ‘extremely severe’ cyclone weakened to ‘very severe’ storm within hours of making landfall and is further expected to weaken into a ‘severe storm’, making its move towards Bangladesh. Follow LIVE updates

Odisha was put on high alert with several teams of the Indian Army, Navy, Coast Guard, National Disaster Rapid Force (NDRF), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on standby for rescue and relief operations.

The cyclone is said to be the worst to hit India since 2014. The Ministry of Home Affairs has operationalised ‘1938’ as the helpline number for cyclone Fani. The Railways has listed numbers (1800-3457401, 1800-3457402) for the public.

Here’s what happened throughout the day since the cyclone made its landfall:

Eight people were killed in Odisha due to the cyclone. According to the government, nearly 160 people were reported injured, with extensive damage to kuchha houses, old buildings and temporary shops, news agency ANI reported. While a teenage boy was killed when a tree collapsed on him in Puri, flying debris from a concrete structure left a woman dead in Nayagarh. An elderly woman died of heart attack at a relief shelter in Kendrapara district.

NDRF DIG Randeep Rana said not many casualties were reported since precautionary measures were already undertaken. The state administration had evacuated nearly 11 lakh people two days ahead of the cyclone from about 10,000 villages and 52 urban agglomerations.

The Meghalaya government has sought deployment of a team of NDRF in the state in the wake of the cyclone. A team of 25-30 personnel has been sought from Guwahati. The IMD has warned of thundersquall accompanied with gusty winds and heavy rains for the next 48 hours across the northeastern states, including Meghalaya. The officials of all the 11 districts have been asked to be on alert, the minister said, adding, all officers, including those posted in various blocks, have been asked not to leave their places of posting. The State Disaster Relief Force and the Fire Services have been kept on standby. The Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has also been kept on standby.

Read | Cyclone Fani: Kolkata airport to remain shut from 3 pm, CM Banerjee cancels rallies for 48 hours

The telecom department Friday reviewed services of four operators, namely Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio, and state-owned BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) in the areas affected by the cyclone. While services in Andhra Pradesh is expected to be fully functional by Saturday morning, the restoration work has already started in Odisha’s Puri and Bhubaneswar, as they suffered extensive network damage. The sources also said that the facility for free SMS has already been activated, and free interconnect between Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has been facilitated to ensure calls can be made on whichever network is available.

The India Meteorological Department Friday said that the cyclone is all set to alter the weather conditions in Nepal and bring heavy rainfall and snowfall in the Himalayan region. The cyclone, however, will not make its way to Nepal, but light to moderate rainfall coupled with lightning and windstorm will occur in some parts of eastern and central regions on Friday and Saturday. The Meteorological Forecasting Department (MFD) warned of rough and extreme weather conditions. “The cyclone is not likely to make its way to Nepal. However, lightning and showers will occur in some parts of eastern and central regions,” a statement issued by the MFD said. The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has urged tourists around the Himalayas region to not venture outside.

The East Coast Railways (ECoR) Friday issued a statement saying as many as 103 trains stand cancelled in the wake of the cyclone. The trains which have been cancelled include the Bhubaneshwar-Bangiriposi Express (12891), RajyaRani Express from Rourkela to Kamakhya (18117), Secunderabad-Kamakhya Express (07149) and special train from Santragachhi to Chennai (02841). The New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express, New Delhi-Puri Nandan Kanan Express, Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express and the New Delhi-Puri Purushottam Express which were scheduled to run today has been cancelled as well. The railways have also diverted several trains running on the south route.

Read | Modi, Mamata rallies cancelled; how cyclone Fani is affecting other states on east coast

Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport suspended the operations of flights from 3 pm Friday to 8 am on Saturday because of the cyclone, Directorate General of Civil Aviation said. Earlier, the airport was supposed to remain shut from 9.30 pm today to 6 pm Saturday. A senior government official told PTI that the timings regarding the shutdown of flight operations at Kolkata airport were revised after observing the progress of Cyclone Fani. Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu directed all airlines to immediately respond to concerns of stranded passengers. On Thursday, the airlines announced to waive off cancellation/rescheduling charges of affected customers.

The Election Commission withdrew the Model Code of Conduct from four districts of Andhra Pradesh and 11 coastal districts of Odisha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cancelled their public rallies in the wake of the cyclone. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a tweet informed that she is cancelling all her rallies in the next 48 hours and that the state is monitoring the situation 24X7. “Have cancelled my rallies for the next 48 hours because of what could be an impending disaster #CyclonicStormFANI We are monitoring the situation 24×7 and doing all it takes. I appeal to all people to cooperate. Be alert, take care and stay safe for the next two days,” she tweeted. PM Modi, who was to campaign in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa college grounds on May 5, cancelled his rally.

The AIIMS PG 2019 examination, scheduled to be conducted on May 5, has been cancelled for the candidates having centres in Bhubaneswar. The Ministry of Health in a tweet mentioned that the AIIMS PG examination for centres in Bhubaneswar has been cancelled due to extensive damage caused in the city due to Fani cyclone. “AIIMS PG exam was scheduled on 5th May. Due to Fani Cyclone, there has been extensive damage in Bhubaneswar, affecting road, rail and air connectivity. As a result, AIIMS New Delhi is cancelling the exam centre in Bhubaneswar,” the ministry’s tweet read.</s>With Cyclone Fani barreling its way to West Bengal from Odisha, the Election Commission has taken all measures to protect strongrooms where EVMs and VVPATs have been stored, a senior EC official said Friday. The EVMs and VVPATs are for use in the seven parliamentary constituencies going to the polls in the fifth phase in the state on Monday
Cyclone Fani starts affecting Bangladesh, where over a million people have been evacuated from the storm's path. Authorities say the cyclone has killed at least five people in Bangladesh and damaged over a thousand homes. At least twelve people have been killed in total by the cyclone.