Cyclone Amphan: Rainfall, strong winds hit Odisha's Bhadrak ahead of landfall

As the Cyclone Amphan is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, rainfall and strong winds have hit Bhadrak district in Odisha. According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) cyclone Amphan will cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha (WB) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans on afternoon of May 20.

'Amphan to cross WB-Bangladesh coasts on Wednesday'

"Cyclone Amphan over the Bay of Bengal near latitude 18.4°N & longitude 87.1°E, about 210 km nearly south of Paradip (Odisha). To cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha (WB)& Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans during the afternoon to evening hours of 20th May," tweeted IMD.

Meanwhile, Paradip in Odisha reported wind speed of 82 km/h (44 knots) at 0430 hrs IST and rainfall 11.0 mm (hourly)/ 144.1mm (progressive total), IMD said.

READ | Cyclone Amphan Live Updates: Bengal evacuates 3L people, Assam issues 'high alert'

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday spoke to Members of Parliament of areas that could be affected by Cyclone Amphan. "He urged them to be in touch with the people of their areas proactively and guide them about the arrangements being made by the agencies concerned," read a Lok Sabha press release.

Birla said in a tweet that he urged MPs to monitor relief measures so that these reach in a timely manner to those in need.

READ | Power, Telecom Ministry lay down plan of action, control room to deal with Cyclone Amphan

'...but we expect this speed to increase'

"Amphan is the most intense cyclone - the second super cyclone - which has been formed in the Bay of Bengal after 1999. We are utilizing all tools and technologies to monitor it. The current wind speed of Amphan is around 200 - 240 km/h, it is moving north-northwest direction at 15 km/h, but we expect this speed to increase," IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in a press briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday. 

READ | Cyclone Amphan: Over 3 lakh people moved to relief shelters, says Mamata Banerjee

At least three lakh people have been evacuated from the coastal areas of West Bengal, ahead of the extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Amphan', and all steps have been taken to deal with any eventuality arising out of it, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday.

NDRF chief SN Pradhan in a media briefing on Tuesday said that a total of 41 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in West Bengal and Odisha to deal with any emergency situation arising out of Cyclone Amphan.

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(With agency inputs)