The cyclonic storm intensifying in the last few hours, likely of heavy rainfall and high-velocity winds in coastal districts of Odisha and in West Bengal
MUMBAI| On Monday Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said Cyclone storm Amphan over central parts of South Bay of Bengal intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm.
With the cyclonic storm intensifying in the last few hours, there is the likelihood of heavy rainfall coupled with high-velocity winds in coastal districts of Odisha and parts of West Bengal.
It will move towards north-northeast direction and cross Digha (West Bengal)-Hathiya island (Bangladesh) on the afternoon/evening of 20th May with a wind speed of 155-165 kmph: Mrutyunjaya Mohapatra, IMD director general #Delhi https://t.co/ABmwHK4Dy1
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2020
A cyclone alert for West Bengal and north Odisha coasts has been issued by the IMD. Cycle Amphan is expected to cross the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on May 20.
The weather officer said, “The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Amphan’ over central parts of South Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 13 km ph during past six hours, intensified into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm and lay centred at 0230 hrs IST of today, the 18th May 2020 over central parts of South Bay of Bengal and adjoining central Bay of Bengal near latitude 12.9°N and longitude 86.4°E, about 820 km nearly south of Paradip (Odisha), 980 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 1090 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh).”
On Wednesday the cyclone is like to make landfall somewhere between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya Islands in Bangladesh.
The IMD said, “The extremely severe cyclonic storm is also expected to move north-northeastwards and move fast across the northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) during the afternoon/evening of May 20 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.”
North Odisha coast will face max impact of #AMPHAN, when it makes landfall. Wind speed expected to be 110-120 kmph,gusting upto 130 kmph. Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj dist can be affected on 20 May(when it makes landfall): Umashankar Das,Scientist,IMD Bhubaneswar #Odisha pic.twitter.com/N3sQ7ut2DJ
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2020
The fisherman is advised not to venture into north Bay of Bengal along and off West Bengal Odisha coasts from May 18 to 21and those who are in the city were asked to return to shore by May 17. NDRF personnel are deployed in West Bengal and Odisha. The NDRF said it was ready to evacuate 11 lakh people likely to hit severely hit by the cyclone.
Twelve coastal districts of Odisha is on high alert Ganjam, Gajapti, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Nayagarh.
In Odisha, 10 teams have been deployed in seven districts Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj. One team of NDRF consists of around 45 personnel.
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