The Cyclonic Storm 'Fani' - The Beats

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Monday, May 6, 2019

The Cyclonic Storm 'Fani'

Image Source - Associated Press (AP)
Cyclone Fani originated from the western Sumatra region in the Indian Ocean on 26th April and made its way to India. It made landfall in the state of Odisha on 3rd May and wreaked havoc amongst all of the 46 million inhabitants of the state. The cyclone has claimed more than 30 deaths until now with unofficial figures going up to 45. Considering the velocity and the fierce nature of the cyclone, the death toll is minimal, owing to the preparedness displayed by the Indian Government and the people. The cyclone could have caused unimaginable destruction. Even the UN has praised India's response in the face of the storm.



Fani had reached its peak intensity on 2nd May and was classified as a Category-4 major hurricane. Luckily, it had weakened before making landfall and hit Odisha with speeds of up to 175 kilometres per hour with heavy rainfall. The storm later went on to wreak havoc in West Bengal. In its last stage, it entered Bangladesh, where it claimed about 14 lives. Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, said that Cyclone Fani was one of the rarest storms to hit the Indian Subcontinent and he also claimed that the state had carried out 'the biggest human evacuation in history'.



Puri was the worst affected city in Odisha. Image Source - AFP

Last week, the Centre had released Rs 1000 crore for aiding the evacuation process and now it has released an additional amount of Rs 1000 crore for the state. Denis McClean, a spokesperson for the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) said, "The almost pinpoint accuracy of the early warnings from the Indian Meteorological Department had enabled the authorities to conduct a well-targeted evacuation plan, which had involved moving more than one million people into storm shelters," The transport systems too were coordinating with each other to ensure that the people stuck in the afflicted areas don't have to go through much trouble. The following states have offered a contribution to Odisha; Tamil Nadu - Rs 10 crore, Maharashtra - Rs 10 crore, Uttar Pradesh - Rs 10 crore, Gujarat - Rs 5 crore and Chhattisgarh - Rs 11 crore.
Children are fed at an emergency shelter in Puri. Image Source - World Vision
It is at times like these that we should come together in union and work for the greater good.

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