Cyclone in May surprises many in Odisha

The arrival of tropical cyclone Fani in the month of May has turned out to be a major surprise for many people in Odisha. Though the eastern state is known for experiencing cyclones in regular intervals, it seldom gets hit by the calamities in the month of May. Cyclones usually batter the state in the month of October. In fact, the month of October has always been considered in Odisha as “cyclone month”.

“It is certainly surprising to get a cyclone in the month of May. We always believed that October is the cyclone month for Odisha. Now we have to change our perception and get ready to face a cyclone any time during the year. It is definitely frightening”, said 70-year-old retired banker Ashok Jena who had been a resident of capital city Bhubaneswar for the last forty years.

The state government authorities also admit that Fani is a “rarest of rare” cyclone to hit Odisha. “It is definitely an unusual phenomena. Several weather agencies across the globe are monitoring its movement and keeping a close watch on it”, said state’s special relief commissioner(SRC), Bishnupada Sethi.

According to government records, Odisha had witnessed a cyclone in the month of May only five times during the last 126 years. The state was hit by a cyclone in the month of May for the first time in 1893 followed by 1914, 1917 and 1981. The last time Odisha had experienced a May cyclone was 30 years back in 1989. However, none of these cyclones were as power packed as Fani which is expected to hit land near the temple town of Puri on Friday at a speed of 170 to 180 kms per hour. The wind speed may even go up to 205 kms per hour during its landfall, according to some experts.

All major cyclones in recent past like Titli, Hudhud, Phailin and the super cyclone of 1999 besides the major cyclone that hit Kendrapara district killing hundreds of people in 1971 had arrived in the state in the month of October.