Bangladesh/India: Fani leaves at least 33 people dead as of May 4 /update 7

Event

Cyclone Fani left at least 33 people dead across affected areas of India and Bangladesh as of Saturday, May 4. The storm, which made landfall near Puri (Odisha state, India) on Friday, May 3, left at least 16 people dead across Odisha state and some 116 others injured; Fani also left at least 17 people dead and 63 others injured in Bangladesh. Flight operations have reportedly resumed at Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) and Bhubaneswar's Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) as of May 4.

Though the initial death toll has remained low compared to that of previous cyclones which hit the region due to massive evacuation efforts, widespread material damages have been reported in areas in the path of the storm. Infrastructure was particularly damaged in Odisha state, notably including in Puri and Bhubaneswar, with widespread reports of damages to houses, as well as power outages, interruptions to water supply, and fallen trees obstructing roads. West Bengal state, also in Fani's path, evaded significant damages. The 1.2 million people in India who were evacuated from areas threatened by Fani are expected to return home over the coming days as recovery efforts continue.

Some 2200 homes were destroyed by Fani in Bangladesh and 11,000 others were damaged; however, concerns of a "major disaster" in Bangladesh have generally subsided as of Saturday, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, and most people who were evacuated have returned home with no significant damages reported to critical infrastructure.

As of Saturday evening (local time), May 4, the India Meteorological Department forecast that former Cyclone Fani would further weaken to a well-marked low-pressure area on Sunday, May 5. Further heavy rainfall may cause flooding in low-lying areas in northeastern India over the coming hours and days. Lingering flooding and storm-related damages may result in continuing transportation disruptions and inhibit recovery efforts in areas affected by the storm. Power outages may also continue to affect areas hit by Fani over the coming hours and days.  

Advice

Individuals in affected areas are advised to monitor local weather reports, anticipate severe weather conditions and associated disruptions to the power supply, telecommunications, and transportation, and adhere to instructions issued by local authorities. Remember that walking or driving through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) is enough to knock over an adult - and that floodwater may contain wastewater and chemical products; all items having come into contact with floodwater should be disinfected and all foodstuffs discarded.