Fierce Cyclone Fani makes landfall in Odisha India, 1,2 million flee for their lives

India’s east coast braced itself as Cyclone Fani made landfall on 8 a.m. on May 3 on the coastal state of Odisha.

The India Meteorological Department warned that the grade 5 storm, Fani,  which lashed the coast with rain and wind gusting up to 205 kilometers (127 miles) per hour is extremely severe.

Around 1.2 million people have been evacuated from low-lying areas of Odisha and moved to nearly 4,000 shelters according to India’s National Disaster Response Force.

Fani is believed to be India’s fiercest storm since 1999 when a cyclone killed around 10,000 people in Odisha.

India’stromy season may last from April to December.  Cyclones that batter coastal towns cause widespread deaths and destruction in both India and neighboring Bangladesh.

Meteorologists are able to forecast weather patterns, thanks to technological advancements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi as requested officials to stay on high alert as the cyclone tears through the states at risk from cyclone Fani.