Tamil Nadu braces itself to combat severe cyclonic storm Fani | Key points

Tamil Nadu is busy bracing itself up after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a weather warning on Sunday, April 28, stating that Cyclonic storm Fani, formed in the south-east Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Indian Ocean, is set to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm today afternoon.

As per the latest bulletin on Saturday, the IMD said, "Cyclone Fani is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours. It is very likely to move northwestwards till 30th April and thereafter recurve northeastwards gradually."

The weather department in its latest bulletin says that Cyclone Fani is moving in a north-west direction and was found laying centred at 1,110 km south-east of Chennai and 1,300 km away from Machilipattinam in the wee hours today.

Cyclone Fani is now travelling at a speed of 80-90 kmph and is likely to reach at a speed of 110 kmph today, as per the warnings issued. However, under the category of 'Very Severe Cyclonic storm', Fani is expected to reach the state at a speed of 140-150 kmph on Tuesday.

Several places in Kerala are expected to get light to moderate rain on Monday and Tuesday, with heavy rainfall at a few places. North coastal Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh are set to get light to moderate rain at a few places on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sea condition will likely to be rough to very rough from April 29 to May 1 along the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, fishermen have been advised to not venture into sea from April 28.