Cyclone Amphan: Depression to turn into cyclonic storm by Saturday evening, says IMD

Ashok Pradhan | TNN | 16 May 2020  | BHUBANESWAR: A fresh bulletin of the India Meteorological Department issued at 8.45am on Saturday said the depression over southeast Bay of Bengal is very likely to intensify rapidly into a cyclonic storm by Saturday evening and further into a severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours.

At 5.30 am, the depression lay centred near latitude 10.4°N and longitude 87.0°E, about 1,100 km south of Paradip in Odisha and 1,250 km south of Digha (West Bengal) and 1,330 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh). It is very likely to move north-northwestwards initially till May 17 and then re-curve north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal towards West Bengal coast during May 18 to 20.

Depression to intensify into a cyclone today

The IMD warned light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy falls at isolated places over Andaman & Nicobar Islands on Saturday. Coastal Odisha is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall with heavy falls at isolated places from May 18 evening and heavy to very heavy rainfalls at a few places on May 19 and isolated heavy rainfall over northern Odisha coast on May 20. Coastal districts of Gangetic West Bengal are likely to experience light to moderate rainfall with heavy falls at a few places on May 19 and heavy to very heavy falls at a few places with extremely heavy falls at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal on May 20.

The weather forecast said squally wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely along and off Odisha coast from May 19 morning and along and off West Bengal coast from May 19 afternoon. The wind speed will gradually increase becoming gale wind speed reaching 65 to 75 kmph from May 20 along and off north Odisha and West Bengal coast. It will gradually increase thereafter.

The government advised the fishermen not to venture into the sea and those who are already inside sea to return by Sunday.