'Amphan' to intensify into Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm in next 6 hours, warns IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday warned that Very Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Amphan' over central parts of South Bay of Bengal is going to intensify into Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm in next 6 hours. It added that it will cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha (WB) and Hatiya island in afternoon-evening of May 20 as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. 

'To intensify further into an ESCS in next 06 hours'

A dangerous thunderstorm and lightning alert has been issued for Jhumpura, Keonjhar, Patna, Saharpada and Champua block of Keonjhar district; Sukruli, Raruan and Karajia blocks of Mayurbhanj district, by Special Relief Organisation of the Odisha government.

Odisha, WB brace to fight cyclone 'Amphan' 

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has sent its 10 teams to Odisha and seven teams to West Bengal in view of the approaching Cyclone 'Amphan'. While the NDRF teams have been deployed in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly, they have been sent to Odisha's Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj.

The NDRF is monitoring the situation and working with states and their disaster management teams, and the IMD.  In Odisha, 'Amphan' is likely to trigger heavy rainfall in some parts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts, while moderate rainfall will lash other coastal areas Monday onwards, the MeT Centre on Sunday said.

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Light to moderate rain or thundershower is likely to occur at most places over coastal Odisha, while heavy to very heavy rainfall will lash some places over the coastal areas on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Light to moderate rain or thundershower will occur at many places over north coastal Odisha and some places over the rest of the districts of Odisha on May 20 and 21. There will be heavy rainfall at some places over Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts on these two days, it said.

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Fishermen have been advised not to venture into north Bay of Bengal along and off West Bengal-Odisha coasts from May 18 to 21 and those who are out in the sea were asked to return to coasts by May 17.

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(With agency inputs)