The Election Commission of India has lifted the Model Code of Conduct in 11 districts of Odisha so that the state administration can battle the severe cyclone Fani that is expected to make landfall south of Puri on May 3.
The model code of conduct will be lifted in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Cuttack and Jajpur districts. The objective is to facilitate speedy rescue, relief and restoration work in the wake of the cyclonic storm.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani is likely to cross the Odisha coast between Gopalpur and Chandbali to the south of Puri on May 3 afternoon with the maximum wind speed of 175-185 km per hour, gusting to 205 kmph.
Impacts of the cyclonic storm along with heavy rainfall are likely to be experienced in northern Andhra Pradesh and southern West Bengal too.
In 2008, another April cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar and left a trail of destructions in its wake.
(Published 01 May 2019, 06:02 IST)
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