Cyclone Fani Latest updates: Eight killed in Odisha

At least eight people have been reported dead so far, senior officials said, adding information was still awaited from many areas.

While three people, including a teenage boy, were reported killed in Puri district, three perished in Bhubaneswar and nearby areas. Flying debris from a concrete structure fatally struck a woman in Nayagarh. An elderly woman died of heart attack at a relief shelter in Kendrapara district, official sources said.

Trains leaving the originating stations passing through the railway network in Odisha were cancelled for Friday and Saturday, according to the railway officials in Visakhapatnam.

A man removing an uprooted tree in Srikakulam

The eye of Cylone Fani will graze past Kolkata and hit the city directly. Expected wind speed in the city to be around 80kmph. Kharagpur, Arambag and Katwa expected to be most impacted as these fall in the trajectory of the cyclone.

The Indian Coast Guard ships and aircrafts were pressed into action to safeguard the lives of people at various places along the coastline of North Andhra, Odisha, and West Bengal. After the landfall of the extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani, the ICG personnel swung into action for relief works.

Civil aviation secretary monitoring situation, DGCA will issue revised advisories to airlines when necessary: Union minister Suresh Prabhu

Squally winds and rains hit Kolkata leading to waterlogging and traffic congestion. Coastal areas of the state also experienced heavy rains along with strong winds.

In view of the storm heading towards West Bengal, many political parties have cancelled their election programmes for the next 24 hours.

Normal life in and around Kolkata was thrown out of gear on Friday as cyclonic storm 'Fani' made landfall in neighbouring Odisha.

Three people were killed in separate incidents as cyclone Fani battered the Odisha coast on Friday, officials said.

Three killed during cyclone Fani in Odisha

More than Rs 1,000 crore released in advance for cyclone-affected states, govt with people in times of crisis, says PM Modi

​Cyclonic Fani: Election Commission of India approves the proposal for granting relaxations in the provisions of Model Code of Conduct in East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, ​​Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, for all the preventive & relief work, reports ANI

As a precaution against cyclone 'Fani', the Indian Railway has cancelled 223 trains in the Bhadrak-Vizianagaram section, along the coastal lines of Odisha on the Kolkata-Chennai route till May 4, reports news agency IANS quoting officials.

Odisha: Water supply pumping station at Ghatikia has been damaged

Odisha: Ward 7 Sailashree Vihar is worst affected. Roads have been blocked at as many as 40 places as trees uprooted.

Cyclone Fani: No flights to and from Kolkata airport between 3pm Friday and 8am Saturday

Hundreds of trees were uprooted in Odisha’s Puri, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur and Khurda districts as cyclone Fani made landfall near Puri between 8am and 10am on Friday, government authorities said.

Cyclone Fani near 20.0N/85.8E at 1030 IST about 20km north of Puri and 25km south of Bhubaneswar. The cyclonic storm to move NNE and weaken into VSCS during the next 3 hours

Indian Navy's P-8I and Dornier are being scheduled to be launched in the afternoon for undertaking an aerial survey to assess the extent of impact and devastation post-Fani crossing the coast

No flight to and from Kolkata Airport from 3pm today to 8am tomorrow (IST). Closure timing revised from earlier announced 9.30pm today to 6pm tomorrow (IST): Airports Authority of India

West Bengal: NDRF team deployed at Digha evacuated total 132 people, including 52 children, from Dattapur and Tajpur. They have been taken to a shelter. (ANI)

Following Cyclone Fani's landfall in Odisha's Puri, BJP leader Sambit Patra took to Twitter and prayed for the well being of people of the affected region.

The road network in several districts of Odisha suffered extensive damage. The power distribution network has also been severely affected. Asbestos sheets of temporary housing facilities have been ripped off.

Damaging houses, thousands of trees and electricity poles, uprooting trees, the eye of Fani almost 25 km in diametre is sending off wind velocity of 150 to 175 kmph and even above at some places touching 180 or more, said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Damaging houses, thousands of trees and electricity poles, uprooting trees, the eye of Fani almost 25 km in diametre is sending off wind velocity of 150 to 175 kmph and even above at some places touching 180 or more, said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

As per initial estimates about 1,000 electric poles are uprooted in Srikakulam district.

In order to clear stranded passengers at Visakhapatnam and nearby areas due to severe cyclone Fani, a special train will be run from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai CSTM with the timings and stoppages of Konark express (11020). People are requested to make use of this special train service ( Tr No 01020) departing Visakhapatnam today at 22.35 hrs, Vijayawada at 05.20 hrs and Secunderabad at 11.40hrs on May 4.

IMD Bhubaneswar's latest updates on the cyclonic storm

The sound and the fury: Here's what the landfall at Puri actually looks like.

Here is a list of contact numbers of control rooms in Odisha's 30 districts

As Cyclone Fani approaches landfall, here's a look at the rapidly evolving situation.

Ministry of Home Affairs has operationalised Helpline Number 1938 for cyclone Fani.

Cyclone Fani: 13 Navy aircraft are at standby in Visakhapatnam to carry out damage assessment and relief distribution requirements.

Winds in Puri, Odisha are blowing at a maximum speed of 240-245 kmph and heavy to very heavy rains are continuing over the Odisha coast. After landfall, the impact is likely to reduce and it is likely to move towards West Bengal coast: Met

Forecasted wave height and swell height for coastal region into the ocean up to 10 km off Odisha

Odisha’s emergency helpline number for Cyclone Fani: +916742534177. Control room numbers of different districts have been issued

After the landfall the system is very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards, weaken gradually & emerge into Gangetic West Bengal as a severe Cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 90-100kmph gusting to 115 kmph by May 4 morning: Met department

Puri after Cyclone Fani makes landfall

Trees uprooted in several districts of Odisha

Come rain or shine, Puri’s Grand Road facing the Jagannath temple and sea beach often sported a crowded look. But the customary hustle bustle was missing as the beach town was hit by large scale exodus of tourists on Thursday ahead of Friday’s Fani strike.

Cyclone Fani: Latest IMD bulletin

Preparing for the aftermath of Cyclone Fani, Indian Coast Guard positions 34 disaster relief teams at Vizag, Chennai, Paradip, Gopalpur, Haldia, Frazergunj and Kolkata besides four Coast Guard ships at Vizag and Chennai

Rain and strong winds hit Paradip, Odisha

Cyclone Fani’s landfall started near Puri with wind velocity of 150 to 175 kmph. It's eye diameter is 28km. Half of FANI chakra lays in sea right now.