By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 2, 2019: Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm FANI over Bay of Bengal is likely to hit the Odisha coast between 8 am and 10 am on Friday, officials said.

The landfall will start between 8 am to 10 am and continue up to 12 noon tomorrow, according to Special Relief Commissioner, Bishnupada Sethi.

Currently, the impending storm FANI is about 320 km south-southwest off Puri and 170 km east-southeast off Vishakhapatnam.

It is very likely to move north-northeast and cross Odisha between Gopalpur and Chandbali, around Puri between 8 to 10 AM on Friday, with maximum sustained wind speed of 170-180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph. It will then weaken gradually and enter into West Bengal as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with the wind speed of 90-100 Kmph gusting to 115 Kmph.

It is very likely to move further north-northeastwards and emerge into Bangladesh on the evening of May 4 as a Cyclonic Storm with wind speed 60-70 Kmph gusting to 80 Kmph.

Meanwhile, all the trains running through coastal Odisha as well as flights flying in and out of Bhubaneswar on Friday have been cancelled in view of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm FANI.

Even the national carrier Air India has also cancelled its flights from / to Bhubaneswar on May 3, an official informed.

An ECoR release said, four trains-Bhubaneswar-Bangiriposi Express, Rajarani Express, Secunderabad-Kamakhya Express and Santragachi-Chennai Special have been cancelled with effect from May 3.

Besides, three trains have been diverted by the ECoR. Amritsar-Visakhapatnam Hirakud Express that left Amritsar on May 1 and Visakhapatnam-Amritsar Hirakud Express that left Visakhapatnam on May 2 will run on diverted route via Sambalpur-Titlagarh and Vizianagaram.

Similarly, Guwahati-Kochuveli Special train that departed Guwahati on May 1 will run on diverted route via Kharagpur-Jharsuguda-Sambalpur-Titlagarh-Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam route.

The ECoR on Wednesday had announced cancellation of 103 trains from through Bhadrak-Vizianagaram Railway Section of ECoR for May 2 and 3.