Major Indian Port In Potential Path Of Severe Cyclone

Super Cyclonic Storm Fani is closing in on the eastern coast of India. Fani's ferocious winds measured 155 mph as of 8:00 p.m. local time today, May 2, 2019 (India is 9.5 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Daylight Time). According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Fani is likely to make landfall at the Odisha coast, between Gopalpur and Chandbali, as early as sunrise on Friday, May 3. Winds at landfall could still be as strong as a Category three hurricane (111-129 mph).

Nineteen districts in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal are likely to be hit by the powerful cyclone. The IMD has issued a "Yellow Alert" warning for Odisha, West Bengal and three districts of Andhra Pradesh. Also, in a special bulletin issued on Wednesday, the IMD forewarned about possible destruction, and fishermen were warned not to venture out for fishing from May 1 to May 5.

Fani's increasing threat to safety has already led to disruptions in transportation. New Delhi Television Limited reported early today that the East Coast Railway cancelled 22 more trains on Wednesday, increasing the total cancellations to 103. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that no flights will depart from or arrive at Kolkata Airport until the evening of May 4, and all inbound and outbound flights have also been temporarily canceled at Bhubaneswar Airport.

Satellite photo of Super Cyclonic Storm Fani just east of India on May 2, 2019. (Photo: Japan Meteorological Agency)

After Fani makes landfall, the storm is expected to turn a bit to the northeast toward the city of Haldia, which has a population of around 208,000 people and is home to a major port in the state of West Bengal. Located about 30 miles southwest of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), the Port of Haldia lies near the mouth of the Hugli River, one of the distributaries of the Ganges River. The dock is located on the banks of the Hugli River off the Bay of Bengal. The port is currently being developed as a trade port for bulk cargoes serving Kolkata.

The Port of Haldia contains many factories, including several owned by companies like Mitsubishi Chemicals, as well as several light industries. It is also a base for India's Coast Guard, with a hover-port housing two of the Coast Guard's six hovercrafts. The Port of Haldia is the fourth-largest port in India, and it is part of the Port of Kolkata. In 2006, the Port of Haldia handled a record 43 million tons of cargo. The port can handle large vessels and has a fully equipped container-handling facility.

By the time Fani gets close to the Port of Haldia on the evening of May 3, its winds are forecast to be around 75 mph. This, combined with possible heavy rainfall and storm surge, could do a fair amount of damage. At minimum, it may delay ships from entering or leaving the dock. Indian Oil Corporation, Ltd (National Stock Exchange of India: IOC) is also located in Haldia. Depending on the amount of damage to the refinery and surrounding communities, production could slow down for a while.

Image sourced from Pixabay

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