Cyclone Amphan turned ‘extremely severe’ over the Bay of Bengal at 2.30 am today. (Source: IMD)
Cyclone Amphan, Weather forecast Today Live Updates: Cyclone Amphan turned into a “super cyclonic storm” on Monday and is likely hit the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Wednesday, the Home Ministry has said. The storm turned ‘extremely severe’ over the Bay of Bengal at 2.30 am today, the Indian Meterological Department (IMD) had earlier said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a high-level meeting to review the preparedness at 4 pm today.
“It is very likely to move north-northeastwards and move fast across northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Digha and Hatiya Islands during 09:00-12:00 pm of 20th May, 2020, as a very severe cyclonic storm,” the latest bulletin released by the weather body read.
In the wake of the storm, the Odisha government is considering evacuation of 11 lakh people in the vulnerable areas. The coastal areas of the state are likely to experience light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places from Monday evening. The MeT department has issued an orange alert for West Bengal. As many as 17 teams of National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in the two states.
Cyclone Amphan turned into a “super cyclonic storm” on Monday and is likely hit the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Wednesday, IMD said. The storm turned ‘extremely severe’ over the Bay of Bengal at 2.30 am today, the Indian Meterological Department (IMD) had earlier said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a high-level meeting to review the preparedness.
A ham radio team deployed at South 24 Parganas in West Bengal.
The NDRF has enhanced its strength to a total of 37 teams, with the addition of 20 more, to combat the "dual challenge" of Cyclone Amphan amid the coronavirus pandemic, the chief of the federal contingency force said on Monday. S N Pradhan, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)Director General, said the force is fully geared with all the equipment and paraphernalia to face the "developing situation which the Indian Meteorological Department has said will turn into a very severe cyclonic storm by this evening and continue to be so for sometime". "A total of 37 teams have been deployed by NDRF in West Bengal and Odisha, out of which 20 teams are actively deployed and 17 are on standby in the two states," Pradhan said in a video message.
In the wake of the cyclonic storm, the Odisha government is preparing for a possible evacuation of 11 lakh people residing in vulnerable areas. Coastal Odisha is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall in many places from the evening of May 18, with heavy rain in some places in coastal Odisha districts like Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara.
The MeT department, which has issued an 'orange' warning for West Bengal, said Cyclone Amphan is likely to cross the West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha and Hatiya Islands in the afternoon or evening of May 20 as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 155 to 165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph before losing some steam ahead of landfall. The high-velocity winds may cause extensive damage to mud houses and partial damage to 'pucca' structures, it said.
The Tamil Nadu government today said that the state will not face the impact of the cyclone but it was constantly monitoring the situation along with IMD. Revenue Minister R B Udhayakumar said satellite images of the storm have been released. "It has come to be known that there will be no impact of this storm on Tamil Nadu. However, we, along with the IMD are constantly monitoring regarding the cyclone," he was quoted as saying in a release. Constant updates will be shared with the public in this connection, he added.
Source: IMD
On Saturday, the National Crisis Management Committee reviewed the preparedness for the impending cyclone and directed immediate assistance to West Bengal and Odisha, which are likely to be affected by the storm. Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba also held a meeting to take stock of the preparations for the cyclone. As many as 17 teams of National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in the two states.
In view of the cyclone alert, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a high-level meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority at 4 pm today.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that northern parts of Odisha are likely to be more affected due to the cyclone. Coastal districts like Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore are likely to experience heavy rainfall accompanied by high-velocity winds, particularly on May 19 and 20, he said.
The weather body also warned that the high-velocity winds may cause extensive damage to mud houses and partial damage to 'pucca' structures. The winds may also lead to bending or uprooting of power and communication poles, minor disruption of railways and may affect overhead power lines and signalling systems and also cause widespread damage to standing crops, plantations, orchards, the IMD said.
Speaking to news agency ANI, IMD General Director Mrutyunjaya Mohapatra said, "Cyclone Amphan in the Bay of Bengal intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm at 2:30 am today. It is expected to further intensify into a super cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours. It will move towards north-northeast direction and cross Digha (West Bengal)-Hatiya island (Bangladesh) on the afternoon/evening of 20th May with a wind speed of 155-165 kmph."
West Bengal Home Secretary Alapan Bandopdhyay said the entire state machinery was prepared to deal with the situation. Disaster management teams are being sent to cyclone shelters in coastal areas, and other places likely to be affected. The home secretary said National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were also available for rescue and relief operations.
“Cyclone Amphan is likely to cross between Sagar Islands in West Bengal and Hatiya islands in Bangladesh between afternoon and evening of May 20 as a very severe cyclonic storm. It will bring heavy to very heavy rainfall in coastal Odisha and West Bengal from May 19 onwards. Sea condition will be very high to phenomenal over north Bay of Bengal on May 19 and 20,” said regional Met Director GK Das.
Cyclone Amphan is likely to bring heavy rainfall, coupled with strong wind, in coastal Odisha and West Bengal from Monday. In Bengal, the rain is expected to lash the districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Howrah, and Hooghly.
Cyclone Amphan is expected to cross the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on May 20. (Source: IMD)
“Cyclone Amphan is very likely to move north-northeastwards and move fast across northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Digha and Hatiya Islands during 09:00-12:00 pm of 20th May, 2020, as a very severe cyclonic storm,” the IMD said it is latest bulletin on Monday.
Personnel of the NDRF were deployed on Sunday in West Bengal and Odisha, which said it was ready to undertake massive evacuation of 11 lakh people likely to be severely hit by the cyclone 'Amphan', officials said. The cyclone, according to an IMD report early Sunday, is developing into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal and can potentially become a very severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours, S N Pradhan, the chief of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said in New Delhi.
"The trajectory is mostly towards West Bengal, Sagar Islands and probably towards Bangladesh.... But we have to watch the trajectory very closely. NDRF has deployed the teams well in advance. They are either deployed or moving towards the destination," he said. As it rolls in towards the Indian shores ominously, the cyclone is likely to unleash heavy rain and high-velocity winds in large swathes of coastal Odisha and West Bengal. It is likely to cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Islands in West Bengal and Hatiya islands in Bangladesh between afternoon and evening of May 20 as a very severe cyclonic storm, Regional MeT Director in Kolkata G K Das said.
Odisha, which has been ravaged by a string of cyclones over the last few years, including the cyclone Fani last year, has made arrangements to shift 11 lakh people from vulnerable areas, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena said. Twelve coastal districts--Ganjam, Gajapti, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Nayagarh-- are on high alert. He said of the 809 cyclone shelters in the 12 coastal districts, 242 are currently being used as temporary medical camps for the returnees from different states amid the COVID-19 lockdown. (PTI)
As per the latest IMD bulletin, the cyclone Amphan has intensified into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' and lay centered over central parts of south Bay of Bengal about 960 km south of Paradip in Odisha, 1110 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 1230 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh). It is very likely to intensify further into an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' during the next 24 hours.