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Updated: May 07, 2020 14:57 IST

As the cyclone storm Fani was intensifying into a ‘Severe Cyclonic Storm’ over the south-east and adjoining south-west Bay of Bengal, the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) is on high alert to render necessary humanitarian assistance, a Navy spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Indian Naval ships at Visakhapatnam and Chennai are on stand-by to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake Humanitarian Aid Distress Relief (HADR), evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid.

Also Watch | Cyclone Fani likely to hit Odisha on Friday; NDRF, rescue teams kept ready

These ships are embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats and relief material that include food, tents, clothes, medicines and blankets.

Naval aircraft are also on stand-by at the Naval Air Stations INS Rajali at Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu and INS Dega at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material to the stranded if required, the spokesperson added.

The ENC is closely monitoring the developments in the Bay of Bengal and Flag Officer Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Naval Area (FOTNA) and Naval Officers-in-Charge (Andhra Pradesh) and (Odisha) are in constant communication with respective state administrations.

As of Monday evening, Fani was about 770 km east-south-east of Chennai. Meanwhile, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to took stock of the situation arising out of Cyclone Fani and assured the state governments that central assistance for state disaster relief funds will be released soon.

The NCMC meeting, headed by cabinet secretary Pradip Kumar Sinha met, was called on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is closely monitoring the situation and have asked the committee to “ensure all preparations” to deal with any situation, said a statement released by cabinet secretariat.

The cyclone is expected to impact east coast states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.

(The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text, only the headline has been changed)