Cyclone Amphan to intensify into super cyclonic storm, heavy rains forecast for 6 states

The weather bureau said Odisha, West Bengal and its sub-Himalayan parts, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya will receive heavy rainfall till May 21.

Published on: May 18, 2020, 13:14:46 IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Anonymous

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a warning of heavy rainfall for six states till May 21 in the light of extremely severe cyclonic storm Amphan.

The weather bureau said Odisha, West Bengal and its sub-Himalayan parts, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya will receive heavy rainfall till May 21.

Cyclonic storm ‘Amphan’ is likely to intensify into a super cyclone by Monday evening and hit the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts as a very severe cyclone with a wind speed up to 185km per hour on Wednesday.

Union home minister Amit Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet the officials of his ministry and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at 4pm. The Prime Minister is NDMA’s chairperson.

The coastal districts in West Bengal and Odisha are bracing for heavy rains and wind speed up to 185kmph as cyclonic storm Amphan is likely to intensify into a super cyclone by Monday evening.

The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has issued an advisory to West Bengal and Odisha as teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed at several places to carry out evacuation process of almost 11 lakh people in the coastal areas of these states.

IMD has said extremely severe cyclonic storm ‘AMPHAN’ (pronounced UM-PUN) is very likely to intensify further into a super cyclonic storm during the next six hours.

It is very likely to move nearly northwards for some time and then north-northeastwards across the northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) during the afternoon or the evening of May 20 as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165kmph gusting to 185kmph.

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by high-speed winds and tidal waves are expected in the region.

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