Cyclone ‘Amphan’ intensified into a super cyclonic storm on Monday and is likely to move across the northeast Bay of Bengal, and cross the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Digha and the Hatia island on May 20, the IMD said.
IMAGE: Damaged fishermen boats are seen following thunderstorm and rainfall due to Cyclone Amphan, at Rameshwaram town in Ramanathapuram district. Photograph: PTI Photo
“Amphan” (pronounced UM-PN) had turned into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and gathered more strength over the Bay of Bengal while moving slowly towards the coast. It has now intensified further into a super cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department said.
It is likely to move north-northeastwards and fast across the northwest Bay of Bengal, and cross the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Digha and the Hatia island as a very severe cyclonic storm, the department said.
This has raised the likelihood of heavy rains and high-velocity winds in coastal Odisha and the state government has initiated the process of evacuating people from the vulnerable areas. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till May 21, Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena 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.
Under the cyclone’s impact, the coastal districts of Gangetic West Bengal, including North and South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, East and West Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly are likely to experience light to moderate rain at many places with heavy downpour at isolated places on May 19, G K Das, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata said.
Relief materials, dry fruits and trampoline have been dispatched to coastal areas, a senior official said.
“We are taking all measures to tackle any contingency. Special control rooms have been set up, and State Disaster Relief Force teams have been deployed. We are also making announcements through public address systems,” the official said.
Quick response teams comprising trained civil defence volunteers and vehicles with necessary equipment have already reached the districts.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has set a target “zero casualty” due to the cyclone.
National Disaster Response Force director general S N Pradhan said 10 units have been sent to seven districts in Odisha while 10 other units have been kept on standby.
Patnaik has directed officials to prepare a plan for relocating people living in vulnerable areas to safer places along with an early restoration of affected road communication, drinking water supply, electricity, infrastructure and power supply to hospitals.
Cyclone ‘Amphan’ comes a year after cyclone Fani barreled through vast areas of Odisha on May 3 last year, claiming at least 64 lives and destroying infrastructure in power, telecommunication, water supply and other vital sectors.
