Cyclone Amphan Live Updates: Storm Continues To Intensify, PM To Hold Meeting At 4 PM Today

Cyclone 'Amphan' intensified into an extremely severe storm on Monday and is all set to unleash heavy rains coupled with high-velocity winds in coastal Odisha, prompting the state government to prepare for the possible evacuation of 11 lakh people.

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, the IMD said.

The high-velocity winds may cause extensive damage to mud houses and partial damage to 'pucca' structures, it said. It may 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, and orchards.

Catch all live updates here:

12:15 PM: "To review arising cyclone situation, PM Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meeting with MHA, NDMA at 4 pm Monday," says Home Minister Amit Shah.

11:30 AM: 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, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

11:00 AM: H R Biswas, Director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar said 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.

10:00 AM: Pamban port authorities have hoisted 'cyclone warning cage number 2' at Pamban bridge, in view of very severe cyclonic storm 'Amphan' in Tamil Nadu.

Around 50 boats of fishermen have been damaged in Rameswaram following the thunderstorm and rainfall which hit parts of the state last night.

9:00 AM: As many as 10 NDRF teams and 15 ODRAF units have been pre-positioned in the coastal districts of Odisha to meet any eventuality due to the cyclone Amphan since Sunday.