Odisha Special Relief Commissioner says 'Amphan' may turn into super cyclone

Cyclone Amphan may turn into a super cyclone between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, Odisha Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena has said. This, after the Indian Meteorological Department said Amphan is likely to intensify into a super cyclone within the next 24 hours and hit the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts.

During a press conference on Monday, Jena said, "Cyclone Amphan may turn into a super cyclone between today evening and tomorrow morning, which means that winds will blow at the speed of around 230 kmph in the sea. It will make landfall between Digha and Hatia island as very severe cyclone on May 20."

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Predictions for next two days

He further said that the authorities expect widespread rains in coastal Odisha on Tuesday and a day later, there could be heavy to very heavy rainfall in northern districts of the state, with wind speed reaching up to 110 kmph in certain parts of Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur. "The administration is prepared to deal with the situation," said Jena.

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Fully prepared

The official expressed confidence that authorities are "fully prepared" to deal with any situation arising out of cyclone Amphan. "We have moved rapid response teams, fire teams, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to the districts which can be affected by Amphan," he said.

The Director of IMD Bhubaneswar, HR Biswas said that cyclone Amphan is very likely to intensify into a super cyclonic storm in the next six hours. The department has issued heavy rainfall warnings for Gajapati, Puri, Ganjam Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts.

"Tomorrow rainfall activity to increase in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajapur, Mayurbhanj, Khurja, and Cuttack districts," Biswas said. The IMD has issued heavy rainfall warning for Odisha, West Bengal, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya till May 21.

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PM to chair key meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to chair a high-level meeting with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to review the situation around cyclone 'Amphan' on Monday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the meeting will be held at 4 pm on Monday with the NDMA and the MHA. PM Modi is the chairman of the NDMA.

(With ANI inputs)

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