Cyclone Amphan in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm at 2:30 am on Monday, it is expected to further intensify into a super cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours, said Mrutyunjaya Mohapatra, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director-General.
Speaking to Mohapatra said, "It will move towards north-northeast direction and cross Digha (West Bengal)-Hathiya island (Bangladesh) on the afternoon/evening of 20th May with a wind speed of 155-165 kmph."
IMD has stated: "It's very likely to move north-northeastwards and move fast across the northwest Bay of Bengal & cross West Bengal - Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) during afternoon/evening of 20th May as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.
IMD has issued a rainfall warning for the next four days in the light of very severe cyclonic storm Amphan, for isolated places over the district of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara. Rainfall will commence from 18th May evening.
"Heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely to occur at a few places over the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur Kendrapara and MayurBhanj and isolated heavy rainfall likely over Cuttack, Khurda and Puri of Odisha (Day 2-Valid from 0830 hrs IST of 19.05.2020 up to 0830 HRS IST of 20.05.2020)," said IMD.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the South Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours, to the central Bay of Bengal during 17-18 May and into North Bay of Bengal during 18-20 May 2020.
Speaking to , Umashankar Das, Senior Scientist, IMD Bhubaneswar said, "The cyclone at the Bay of Bengal is moving with a speed of 12 km per hour from the last 6 hours. It is expected that the cyclone will cross Bangladesh's Hatiya island and West Bengal's Digha area on May 20."
"North Odisha coast will face the maximum impact of AMPHAN, when it makes landfall. Wind speed expected to be 110-120 kmph, gusting up to 130 kmph. Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj district can be affected on 20 May(when it makes landfall), said Umashankar Das, Scientist, IMD Bhubaneswar.
"When this extremely severe cyclone will enter Odisha, Bangladesh and West Bengal coast area, its movement speed will exceed. It will make landfall after May 20. We are expecting maximum wind speed at the time of landfall around from 110 to 130 kmph. Mainly North-Coastal Orisha will be affected," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )