Cyclone Amphan to cross West Bengal, Bangladesh coasts on May 20; Kerala to receive heavy rainfall for next four days

CHENNAI: Cyclone 'Amphan' intensified into a super cyclonic storm on Monday and is likely to move across the northeast Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Digha and the Hatia island on May 20, the IMD said.

'Amphan'(pronounced UM-PUN) had turned into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and gathered more strength over Bay of Bengal while moving slowly towards the coast. It has now intensified further into a super cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

It lay centred around 780 km south of Paradip in Odisha, 930 km south-southwest of Digha in West Bengal and 1,050 km south-southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh, said H R Biswas, director of the meteorological centre in Bhubaneswar.

It is likely to move north-northeastwards and across northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between the sea resort of Digha (in West Bengal) and Hatia island (in Bangladesh) as very severe cyclonic storm, the department said.

The wind speed due to the supercyclone over the Bay of Bengal may go up to 230 kmph and even 265 kmph, but 'Amphan' will gradually weaken on the sea itself before its landfall on May 20, Biswas said.

This has raised the likelihood of heavy rains and high-velocity winds in coastal Odisha from Monday evening and the state government has started evacuating people from vulnerable areas.

Meanwhile, the IMD has forecasted that Kerala will receive heavy rain accompanied by strong wind for the next four days. Following this, a yellow alert has been issued in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram districts.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till May 21, Special Relief (SRC) P K Jena said.