Cyclone Amphan landfall commences in West Bengal, to continue for 4 hours: IMD

The intensity of the Extremely Severe cyclone near its centre as the landfall process started was recorded at 160-170 kmph, gusting to 190 kmph.

The landfall process of Cyclone Amphan started at 2.30 pm on Wednesday and will continue for about four hours, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The forward sector of the wall cloud region is entering into land in West Bengal.

The intensity of the Extremely Severe cyclone near its centre as the landfall process started was recorded at 160-170 kmph, gusting to 190 mph. Heavy rain and gale wind have affected several districts in the Gangetic West Bengal since morning and the intensity of the downpour and wind increased gradually with every passing hour.

There have been reports of trees being uprooted, kaccha houses being damaged and some roads being damaged. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha along with other senior officials are monitoring the situation from the state’s emergency operation centre at Nabanna.

The system is very likely to move north-northeastwards after landfall and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast between Digbha and Hatiya close to Sunderban during the late afternoon to evening hours i.e. 4 pm onwards, with a wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph. After landfall, the system is likely to move north-northeastwards close to Kolkata.

For Odisha, the wind speed will be between 100 to 110 gusting to 125 kmph along and off Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts till afternoon and over Balasore district till evening. 

Addressing a press conference, the NDRF DG said, "24 additional alert teams on hot stand-by, for airlift, have been kept ready, they can be deployed not just during, but even after, the cyclone, they can get ready in 15 minutes and be airlifted."

According to data obtained from states, more than five lakh people in West Bengal and more than 1.5 lakh people in Odisha have been evacuated added the DG.

He added, "NDRF headquarters and local commandants are in coordination with the respective state authorities; 20 teams in Odisha and 19 teams in West Bengal have been pre-positioned in consultation with the respective state authorities."