Odisha Govt Gears Up as ‘AMPHAN’ Turns into Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government ha geared up as the cyclonic storm ‘AMPHAN’ (pronounced as UM-PUN) turned into extremely severe cyclonic storm, which lays over west central and adjoining central parts of South Bay of Bengal moved north-northwest wards with a speed of 8 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 08.30 am today.

It is very likely to move nearly northwards for some time and then north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) during the Afternoon / Evening of 20th May 2020 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph.

Govt Gears UP Meanwhile the district administration has been asked in evacuate people from low laying areas in Jagatsinghpur. And evacuation will start from today after noon till tomorrow.

Odisha DGP Abhay has visited Balasore district to take stock of the situation. Meanwhile Two ODRAF teams have been sent to Bhadrak and Balasore districts. Additional teams of Fire Services have also been placed into the service in the coastal district.

We are focusing in 5 Coastal districts and plans to evacuate 11-12 lakhs people, said Panchayati RaJ and Drinking Water Minister Pratap Jena.

Heavy rainfall Warning:

Odisha Coastal Odisha is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall at many places from today evening with heavy falls at isolated places over coastal Odisha (Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur & Kendrapara Districts) on 18 th May, 2020.
Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places over north coastal Odisha (Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak & Mayurbhanj Districts) and isolated heavy falls over Khordha & Puri districts on 19th May.

Isolated heavy rainfall over north Odisha (Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Keonjhar Districts) on 20th May 2020.

Wind warning : Squally wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely to commence along and off south Odisha coast from 18th evening, increase becoming 55 to 65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph extend to along & off north Odisha coast from 19th morning and along and off West Bengal coast from 19th afternoon.

• The wind speed will gradually increase becoming gale wind speed reaching 75 to 85 kmph gusting to 95 kmph from 20th morning along and off north Odisha (Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts)
It will gradually increase thereafter becoming 110 to 120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph along & off the above mentioned districts of North Odisha.

• Squally wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph likely to prevail over Puri, Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur districts of Odisha during 20th May 2020.

Deep Sea area

• Gale wind speed reaching 210-220 gusting to 240 kmph is prevailing over west-central and adjoining central parts of south Bay of Bengal. It is likely to increase becoming 220-230 gusting to 250 kmph over northern parts of central Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Bay of Bengal from tonight to 19th May morning, likely to increase further becoming 230-240 gusting to 255 kmph by tonight.

• Gale wind speed reaching 220-230 gusting to 255 kmph over north Bay of Bengal from 19th morning and gradually decrease becoming 155- 165 kmph gusting to 180 kmph by 20th evening.