ranchi

Updated: May 03, 2019 09:15 IST

The extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani, which is expected to make landfall near Puri in Odisha by Friday afternoon, has hit Jharkhand’s political campaign when the election process is at its peak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Jharkhand visit was deferred for a day, while chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s rally in Jamshedpur on May 3 was cancelled. The prime minister was scheduled to address a rally at Chaibasa college grounds on May 5. Now, the PM’s programme will be held on May 6, when the state goes to polls for the fifth phase in four constituencies: Koderma, Ranchi, Khunti, and Hazaribag. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Sinha said, “The PM’s programme was deferred in view of Cyclone Fani.”

BJP’s Jamshedpur district president Dinesh Kumar said, “The district administration has issued a high alert for May 3 and May 4 in view of the Fani cyclone. This is why we have cancelled Yogi Adityanath’s rally at Gopal Maidan, Jamshedpur.”

WARNINGS ISSUED

The meteorological department has issued warnings to nine districts of gusty winds at a speed of 40-50kmph accompanied by thunderstorm. Four Jharkhand districts — East Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, West Singhbhum, and Dumka — would face the biggest impact of the cyclone, said weather officials.

SD Kotal, director at the Ranchi meteorological centre, said, “The severe cyclonic storm was located around 450km off Puri on Thursday noon. It is expected to make landfall by Friday afternoon at speed of around 180200kmph near Puri.”

Heavy rainfall is likely in East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Dhanbad, Jamtara, Dumka, and Pakur on May 3, while heavy rainfall is very likely in districts of northeast Jharkhand on May

4, weather officials said. The met department on Thursday held a crucial meeting with the state disaster management department. “We asked the department to shut schools and colleges in the districts most likely to be affected as precautionary measures. We also urged the department to make people aware [of risks] and asked them to remain indoors as the possibility of electric poles or trees being uprooted by the cyclone cannot be ruled out,” said Kotal.

Manish Tiwary, joint secretary of the state disaster management department, said, “We have issued an advisory for 11 districts, putting two districts — East Singhbhum and Dumka — on high alert. Schools and colleges in two districts will remain closed on May 3 and May 4.” He said that two teams of the National Disaster Response Force had already been deployed at East Singhbhum and Dumka.