Odisha evacuates 1.5 lakh, Bengal 3.3 lakh people: NDRF

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, May 20, 2020: Cyclone Amphan is likely to make its landfall on Wednesday (May 20, 2020) between West Bengal and Bangladesh coast lost has turned into a Super Cyclone from an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm, as per the Indian Meterological Department (IMD).

The cyclone is centred over northwest Bay of Bengal near Latitude 19.45 degrees North and Longitude 87.52 degrees East at 6.30 am on May 20. The wind speed of the ‘most intense’ cyclone in the sea right now is around 200 kmph and is moving towards north northwestward direction, Zee reported.

 

The MeT Department has advised all establishments and markets to remain closed in the city and adjoining areas and restriction on movement of people on May 20. Also, there are high chances of disruption of rail and road link at several places, the weatherman said,

Meanwhile, the governments of West Bengal and Odisha stepped up efforts to evacuate at least several lakhs of people from vulnerable areas and moved to relief shelters.

Keeping in mind the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the governments of West Bengal and Odisha have distributed lakhs of masks among the evacuees and PPEs have been handed out to SDRF personnel deployed in the vulnerable area.

Wind speed has picked up near coastal Odisha and is blowing at around 100 kmph at Paradip. Wind is not that strong in West Bengal. Odisha has evacuated nearly 1.5 lakh people from Balasore, Bhadrak while West Bengal has evacuated over 3.3 lakh people: NDRF Chief SN Pradhan on Cyclone Amphan