Odisha Starts To Feel Super Cyclone ‘Amphan’ Impact As It Inches Closer To Land

Bhubaneswar: Super cyclone Amphan will in the sea till 11.30 am on Tuesday with wind speed up to 260 kmph and will subsequently become an extremely severe cyclonic storm, according to the latest India Meteorological Department bulletin. 

“The super cyclonic storm ‘Amphan’ over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 14 kmph during past 6 hrs and lay centred at 2.30 am over westcentral Bay of Bengal, about 570 km south of Paradip,” it said.

Rain Forecast

Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rain is likely to lash five districts – Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur and Mayurbhanj – of Odisha. Some places in Cuttack, Khurda and Puri are also likely to experience heavy rain on Tuesday.

Squally Wind

Squally wind speed reached 55 to 65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph are expected along and off Odisha coast from this morning.

Evacuation

“Chandbali (Dhamra in particular) and Basudevpur blocks have been put on high alert because of high wind impact. Massive evacuation drive is on in these blocks. NDRF, ODRAF, and Fire Services are in action,” Bhadrak Collector Gyana Das told the media.

Also Read: Amphan Intensifies Into Super Cyclone, Evacuation Begins In Coastal Odisha Dists

Alert Sounded

While alert has been sounded for 12 districts of Odisha, the impact is expected to be higher in the five north coastal districts. “Bhadrak and Balasore districts will be more affected because they are closer to the expected landfall point in the Sundarbans,” IMD Director General, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had said on Monday.

Also Read:  Odisha Govt Has Taken Cyclone Amphan Seriously, Assures Chief Secretary

The ‘Expected’ Landfall

Amphan is likely to cross West Bengal -Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans on May 20 evening as an extremely severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustain wind speed of 165-175 kmph gusting to 195 kmph.

Also Read: Will Puri, Gopalpur Face Wrath Of ‘Super Cyclone’ Amphan?