Cyclone Amphan turns into super cyclonic storm; PM Modi holds review meet

Cyclone Amphan has intensified into a super cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal. West Bengal and Odisha are expected to witness intense winds till Tuesday evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a review meeting on the preparedness and evacuation plans that have been drawn up by disaster management authorities ahead of Amphan cyclone's landfall on Wednesday. The super-cyclonic storm is expected to make landfall on Wednesday afternoon or evening.

Coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal are expected to witness wind speeds of up to 230-240 kmph gusting to 265 kmph till Tuesday evening. Heavy rainfall is also expected in the region. On Monday Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said, "Amphan will cross West Bengal - Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans on Wednesday as an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' with maximum sustained wind speed of 165-175 kmph gusting to 195 kmph."

Also read: Amphan Cyclone landfall date: Time, speed, place, states to be affected

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

IMD Bhubaneswar scientist Umashankar Das said that North Odisha would face strong impacts when Cyclone Amphan makes landfall. Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj districts of the state are likely to be heavily impacted on May 20

East Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, East and West Medinipur, Hooghly, Howrah and Kolkata in West Bengal and Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Kendrapara districts in Odisha are likely to witness heavy rainfall for the next couple of days. Low-lying areas of 24 North and South Parganas and East Medinipur are likely to be heavily impacted on Wednesday.

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

The IMD had also warned that the high-velocity winds could wreak havoc and cause extensive damage to mud houses and partial pucca structures. Bending or uprooting of power and communication poles as well as minor disruption of railways, impact on overhead power lines and signalling systems and widespread damage to standing crops, plantations and orchards are expected.

During the review meeting, PM Modi was also informed that 25 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have already been deployed and 12 are ready in reserve. Additionally 24 teams are on standby across the country.

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