Bhubaneswar: The Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan has weakened into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm and was about 420 km south of Paradip (Odisha) and 570km South-southeast of Digha (West Bengal) at 2 pm on Tuesday, the Indian Meteorological Department said.
The cyclone is like to make landfall near West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans on Wednesday afternoon said IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra.
“The Super Cyclonic Storm ‘AMPHAN’ over Westcentral Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 17 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 1130 hrs IST of 19 th May, 2020 as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm near latitude 16.5°N and longitude 86.9°E over Westcentral Bay of Bengal about 420 km nearly south of Paradip (Odisha), 570 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 700 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh)” said IMD.
It may be noted that super cyclones have hurricane-force wind of above 222 kilometres per hour while Extremely severe cyclones have wind force of 166-221 kilometres per hour.
“It is very likely to move north-northeastwards across the northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans during Afternoon to Evening hours of 20th May 2020 with maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph” it added.
The Weather department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall along with squally wind speed reaching 100 to 115 kilometre per hour in the coastal and north-coastal districts of Odisha and coastal districts of Gangetic West Bengal from 19th of May.
“The Windspeed will gradually increase thereafter becoming 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 125 kmph along & off the North Odisha districts on 20th May. Gale wind speed reaching 155 to 165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph very likely along & off east Medinipur and north & south 24 Parganas districts and 110-120 kmph gusting to 130 kmph over Kolkata, Hoogli, Howrah and West Medinipur Districts of West Bengal during the time of landfall (20th afternoon to night)” IMD said.