AMPHAN turns Super Cyclonic Storm; High speed wind along Odisha coast likely

Bhubaneswar: After a gap of two decades, the country is bracing for another Super Cyclone as the Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm AMPHAN has turned into the Super Cyclonic Storm over Bay of Bengal today.

“The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘AMPHAN’ (pronounced as UM-PUN) intensified into Super Cyclonic Storm at 1130 IST of today, the 18th May, 2020,” tweeted IMD.

The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘AMPHAN’ (pronounced as UM-PUN) intensified into Super Cyclonic Storm at 1130 IST of today, the 18th May, 2020.

— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) May 18, 2020

It is very likely to move nearly northwards for some time and then north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) during the afternoon or evening of May 20 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph.

Warnings

Wind warning: Squally wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely to commence along and off south Odisha coast from May 18th evening, extend to along & off north Odisha coast from May 19th morning and along and off West Bengal coast from May 19th afternoon.

The wind speed will gradually increase becoming gale wind speed reaching 75 to 85 kmph gusting to 95 kmph from May 20th morning along and off north Odisha (Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts) and West Bengal (east & west Medinipur, south & north 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata Districts). It will gradually increase thereafter becoming 110 to 120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph along & off the above mentioned districts of north Odisha and 120 to 140 kmph gusting to 155 kmph along & off the above districts of West Bengal from the afternoon of 20th May.

Squally wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph likely to prevail over Puri, Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur districts of Odisha during 20th May.

Heavy rainfall Warning: Coastal Odisha is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall at many places from 18th May evening with heavy falls at isolated places over coastal Odisha (Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts) on 18 th May. Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over north coastal Odisha (Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts) on 19th May and isolated heavy rainfall over north Odisha (Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Keonjhar districts) on 20th May.

Damage Expected in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur & Mayurbhanj

• Total destruction of thatched houses/ extensive damage to kutcha houses. Potential threat from flying
  objects.
• Bending/ uprooting of power and communication poles.
• Major damage to Kutcha and Pucca roads. Minor disruption of railways, overhead power lines and
  signalling systems.
• Widespread damage to standing crops, plantations, orchards, falling of green coconuts and tearing of
  palm fronds. Blowing down of bushy trees like mango.
• Small boats, country crafts may get detached from moorings.

Fishermen Warning

• Total suspension of fishing operations along & off Odisha coast during 18th to 20th May 2020.
• Judicious regulation of rail and road traffic.
• People in affected areas to remain indoors.
• Movement in motor boats and small ships unsafe.
• Small Fishing Boats may get detached and damaged from their moorings.