As Cyclone ‘Fani’ intensifies into a severe cyclonic storm on the eastern and south-eastern coast of India, the Indian Navy has deployed ships for rescue and relief operations.
“Indian Navy has deployed Sahyadri, Ranvir and Kadmatt ships with relief material and medical teams in the view of ‘Fani’ cyclone and are maintaining south of the Cyclonic Storm to be the first responder and commence rescue operation as soon as the cyclone crosses coast,” said a spokesperson of Indian Navy in a statement on Thursday.
These ships are embarked with additional relief material, medical teams and diving teams, which have been shifted from Visakhapatnam to Odisha by road to augment the rescue and relief efforts under Naval Officer-in-Charge (Odisha) on Thursday, the spokesperson further informed in a statement.
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“Naval aircraft are standing by for immediate deployment to carry out the aerial survey as soon as the cyclone crosses coast to assess the impact of the cyclone and aid in a rescue operation. Helicopters are also kept standby for joining in the rescue operation and for air dropping of relief material if required,” the spokesperson added.
The eastern naval command is closely monitoring the movement of the cyclone. Naval Officers-in-Charge of West Bengal and Odisha are in constant communication with respective state administrations to coordinate rescue and relief operations.
The extremely severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ lie about 150 Km east and southeast of Vishakhapatnam and about 300 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha) in the evening on May 2.
It is moving slowly towards a northerly direction and expected to cross Odisha coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali, around Puri during the afternoon on May 3 with maximum sustained wind speed of 170-180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph.
(With ANI inputs)