Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review preparedness for Cyclone Fani, extremely severe cyclone which is expected to make a landfall this evening.

During the meeting, which was attended among others, by the Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Principal Secretary to the PM and senior officials from India Meteorological Department, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and National Disaster Management Authority, Modi was briefed on the likely path of the cyclone, and steps being undertaken.

Apart from deploying teams from NDRF and Indian Army in places where the cyclone is expected to hit, measures have been taken to provide safe drinking water and ensure stand-by power supply and telecom services, the officials told the Prime Minister.

An official release had said on Wednesday that ships are standing at Vishakhapatanam port with relief material for immediate deployment in areas likely to be affected by the cyclone, which may have sustained wind speeds of 175-185 kilometre per hour gusting to 205 kmph. Diving and medical teams are also kept ready augmenting rescue and relief operations in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, two States feared to be hit hard by the extremely severe cyclone.

Besides, Na​val aircraft are kept ready at Naval Air Stations, INS Dega and INS Rajali to undertake aerial survey of the most affected areas, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material as required by the State administration, it said.

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