UPDATE ON FANI: Expect heavy rains & Strong winds

FANI intensifies : Heavy rains and strong winds expected

by Staff Writer 30-04-2019 | 3:43 PM

03.43 PM UPDATE: The severe cyclonic storm ‘FANI’ (pronounced as FONI) over the south-west Bay of Bengal to the north-east of Sri Lanka, is located about 670 km north-east of Trincomalee. The Met department notes that it is likely to intensify further into an extremely severe cyclone storm during the next 36 hours and move north-northeastwards.

Cloudy skies, strong winds, and showery conditions are expected to continue over the island and surrounding coastal areas. Strong winds up to 60 km per hour can be expected over the island, particularly in Central hills, Northern, North Central, Uva, and Southern provinces and in Puttalam, Trincomalee, and Ampara districts. Showers or thundershowers will occur at times over most parts of the island. Very heavy rainfall above 150 mm can be expected at some places in the Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, Western and North-western provinces and in Mannar district and also heavy rainfall of about 100 mm also likely at other places. The Met department requests the general public, naval and fishing communities to be attentive of future advisories.

10.37 AM COLOMBO (News 1st) - According to the Met. department, the severe cyclonic storm ‘FANI’ over the south-west Bay of Bengal to the north-east of Sri Lanka, was located around 640 km north-east of Trincomalee as at 2.30am today. The Met department predicts that the storm is likely to intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and intensify furthermore before moving north-northeastwards towards Odisha, India. Cloudy skies, Strong winds and showery condition can be expected over the island and surrounding sea areas. Strong winds up to 60 km/h can be expected over the island, particularly in Central hills, Northern, Northcentral, Uva and Southern provinces as well as in the Puttalam, Trincomalee and Ampara districts. Showers or thundershowers will occur at times over most parts of the island. Very heavy falls above 150 mm can be expected at some places in the Eastern, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, Western and North-western provinces and in Mannar district and also heavy falls about 100 mm also likely at some places elsewhere. Showers or thundershowers will also occur at times in sea areas around the island. Heavy showers are likely in the Northern, Western, Southern and Eastern sea areas. Winds are expected to be South-westerly with speeds of around 35-45 kmph. The Met department notes that there is a possibility that winds speeds could increase up to 60-70 kmph. Wind speeds of around 70-80 kmph can be expected over deep-sea areas to the South, Southeast, East and Northeast of Sri Lanka with a possibility of increasing up to 100 kmph at times. Wind speed can increase up to 130-140 kmph in the sea areas within 300km from the center of the system Fishermen are advised not to venture into sea areas to the Northwestern, Southwestern, Southern, Southeastern, Eastern, Northeastern and Northern of Sri Lanka until further notice.