Cyclone ‘Fani’ intensified into a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ on Monday evening and is headed towards the Odisha coast.IMD said it could take a shape of an ‘extremely severe cyclone’ by Wednesday, prompting the government to put the National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Coast Guard on high alert.The NDRF and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on high alert and the fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Naval Command has assumed high degree of readiness to render necessary humanitarian assistance. Indian Naval ships at Visakhapatnam and Chennai are standing-by to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake Humanitarian Aid Distress Relief , evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid.

These ships are embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats  and relief material that include food, tentage, clothes, medicines, blankets etc, in quantities sufficient. Naval aircraft are also standing by at the Naval Air Stations INS Rajali at Arakkonam, Tamilnadu 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 Eastern Naval Command is monitoring the developments in the Bay of Bengal closely and Flag Officer Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area and Naval Officers-in-Charge of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are in constant communication with respective State Administrations to augment rescue and relief operations as needed.The National Disaster Management Authority has meanwhile issued an advisory to people to deal with the cyclone.