New Delhi, May 17: Cyclone Amphan has intensified into severe cyclonic storm over Bay of Bengal and is likely to bring heavy rainfall coupled with high velocity wind in several coastal districts of Odisha and parts of West Bengal from Sunday. The cyclonic storm will turn dangerous in the coming days until it makes a landfall on the West Bengal coast on May 20. The cyclone will intensify into very severe cyclonic storm by May 18 and is believed to intensify further into "severe cyclonic storm" in the next 12 hours. Soon after, Amphan will turn into a "very severe" by May 18 morning and then into an extremely severe cyclonic storm on May 19. Cyclone Amphan Forecast: Cyclonic Storm to Turn 'Very Severe' by May 18, Odisha and West Bengal to Witness Heavy Rainfall.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Amphan Cyclone is expected to make a landfall on May 20 by crossing West Bengal and Bangladesh coast. The IMD, in its weather report, has predicted that Amphan will turn into an extremely severe Cyclonic Storm on the night of May 19 till May 20. HR Biswas, Director of IMD Bhubaneswar informed that cyclone Amphan is likely to make landfall in between Sagar Islands in West Bengal & Hatiya Islands in Bangladesh during the afternoon/evening of May 20 as a very severe cyclonic storm. Cyclone Amphan: About 7 Lakh People Likely to Be Affected, Says Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.

Forecast track and intensity are given in the following table:

Date/Time Position (Lat. 0N/ long. 0E) Maximum sustained surface wind speed (Kmph) Category of cyclonic disturbance
16.05.20/11:30 10.9/86.3 45-55 gusting to 65 Depression
16.05.20/17:30 11.2/86.2 50-60 gusting to 70 Deep Depression
16.05.20/23:30 11.8/86.1 60-70 gusting to 80 Cyclonic Storm
17.05.20/05:30 12.3/86.0 80-90 gusting to 100 Cyclonic Storm
17.05.20/11:30 12.8/86.0 100-110 gusting to 120 Severe Cyclonic Storm
17.05.20/23:30 13.9/86.1 105-115 gusting to 125 Severe Cyclonic Storm
18.05.20/11:30 14.9/86.1 120-130 gusting to 145 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
18.05.20/23:30 16.0/86.2 135-145 gusting to 160 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
19.05.20/11:30 17.4/86.5 155-165 gusting to 180 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
19.05.20/23:30 19.0/87.0 170-180 gusting to 200 Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm
20.05.20/11:30 20.8/87.5 160-170 gusting to 190 Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm
20.05.20/23:30 22.9/88.2 145-155 gusting to 170 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
21.05.20/11:30 25.0/88.7 110-120 gusting to 135 Severe Cyclonic Storm

A deep depression in the ocean had intensified into the cyclonic storm on the night of May 16. In the wake of the weather conditions, light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy falls at isolated places is very likely over Andaman & Nicobar Islands on May 16. The cyclonic storm intensified slightly and is lying centred about 990 km south of Odisha's Paradip, 1140 km of south-southwest of West Bengal's Digha and 1260 km south-southwest of Bangladesh's Khepupara.

Here's the tweet by IMD:

SN Pradhan, DG NDRF informed that in Odisha, 10 teams have been sent to 7 districts and more than 10 are on standby in West Bengal. “7 teams have been sent to 6 districts & over 10 are on standby. We are monitoring the situation & working in coordination with all the agencies”, Pradhan said. The NDRF, Armed Forces and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on alert and are coordinating with the state government authorities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 17, 2020 04:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).