Cyclone AMPHAN: Extremely Severe Amphan Storm Likely To Intensify To "Super Cyclone"

Cyclone AMPHAN is expected to make a landfall in Bengal on Wednesday.

New Delhi: Cyclone Amphan, which turned in to an extremely severe storm overnight, is likely to intensify further to a "super cyclone" in the next 12 hours, the weather office has said. Two states- Bengal and Odisha - have been alerted over the storm, which is expected to make a landfall in Bengal on Wednesday. "The extremely severe cyclonic storm ''Amphan'', moving with a speed of 13 kmph over west-central and adjoining central parts of south Bay of Bengal, is likely to gain more strength and intensify further into a super cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours," a statement by the India Meteorological Department or IMD read. The landfall is expected a time when the country is fighting against coronavirus, which has affected more than 96,000 people, killed more than 3,000.

Here's is your ten-point cheat sheet on Cyclone Amphan:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting today at 4 pm to review the preparedness, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted. "To review the arising cyclone situation in various parts of the country, PM @narendramodi ji will chair a high level meeting with MHA & NDMA, today at 4pm (sic)," he wrote.
A year after it was hit by Cyclone Fani, Odisha is prepared to evacuate over 1 million people, according to the state officials. Twelve coastal districts - Ganjam, Gajapti, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Nayagarh - are under a close watch.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed officials to prepare a plan for relocating people living in vulnerable areas to safer places along with an early restoration of water supply and power infrastructure. The state has set a zero casualty target. "As always, saving lives is our priority. We should put our best efforts to save every precious human life," Mr Patnaik told top officials, according to news agency PTI.
Seventeen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on duty in Odisha and Bengal. Seven teams have been deployed in six districts of Bengal and 10 teams are on duty in Odisha. Each team has 45 members.
Northern parts of Odisha are likely to be more affected due to the cyclone, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Heavy rain is likely to hit parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Fishermen have been asked not to venture into coastal areas till Wednesday.
Those living in coastal areas will have to brace up for heavy rain and high-velocity winds, the weather office has said. The high-velocity winds may cause damage to houses, crops, plantations and orchards, and power infrastructure, the IMD has said, adding that rail traffic may be affected. Only special trains are allowed to run during the lockdown.
West Bengal Home Secretary Alapan Bandopdhyay said that the state is prepared to deal with the situation. Disaster management teams were dispatched to cyclone shelters in the coastal areas and other places for rescue and relief operations where social distancing norms will be strictly followed, he said, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Saturday, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) met under Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to review the preparedness for minimising the loss of lives and property.
Last year, Odisha was praised for its handling of Cyclone Fani, one of the worst storms to hit India in decades, and ensuring minimum loss of lives. The state had relocated over 11 lakh people across 13 districts to safety.