Cyclone Amphan turns 'extremely severe'; NDRF teams deployed in Bengal, Odisha

Cyclone Amphan update: The very severe cyclonic storm 'Amphan' has intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had warned on Sunday that the cyclone would intensify by Monday.

Cyclone Amphan is expected to impact central parts of the South Bay of Bengal, around 870 km south of Paradip in Odisha. The IMD said that Amphan cyclone would cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha and Hatiya in the afternoon or evening of May 20 as a very severe cyclonic storm.

An alert has been issued for Jhumpura, Keonjhar, Patna, Saharpada and Champua block of Keonjhar district as well as Sukruli, Raruan and Karajia blocks of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha due to Amphan. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also sent 10 teams to Odisha and seven to West Bengal amid the threat of Cyclone Amphan. It is also working with the states and their disaster management teams.

In West Bengal, the teams are deployed in South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapire, Hooghly and Howrah. In Odisha, the teams have been deployed in PurI, Jagartsinghpur, Balasore, Jjapur, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, and Kendrapada.

Also read: Cyclone Amphan intensifies in Bay of Bengal; heavy rain, storm threat to Odisha, West Bengal

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the Bay of Bengal along and off West Bengal-Odisha coasts till Wednesday. The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) also met with Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to review the preparedness of both the states.

Both the states have been put on a yellow alert by the weather office due to Amphan cyclone. A yellow alert or cyclone alert is issued 48 hours in advance, while an orange alert or cyclone warning is issued 24 hours before the cyclone. A red alert or post landfall outlook signifies the likely direction of the cyclone once it makes landfall.

Also read: Cyclone Amphan to intensify by May 16; IMD expects rain in Andamans, Odisha, Bengal in next 2 days

Also read: Cyclone Amphan may intensify in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal on May 19