Cyclone Fengal is set to strike India’s Tamil Nadu state on Saturday, bringing winds of 70-80 km/h, according to the weather bureau.
Authorities have shut schools and colleges in multiple districts and relocated 471 residents to storm shelters. Fishermen have been warned to avoid the seas due to one-meter-high waves, posing flood risks to coastal areas.
The cyclone, which earlier caused 12 deaths in Sri Lanka, highlights the increasing severity of storms fueled by climate change. Warmer oceans and atmosphere intensify storms and rainfall, scientists warn.
Improved forecasting and evacuation measures have, however, significantly reduced fatalities.
