Cyclone Amphan: Ferry services suspended; high alert sounded in West Bengal

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KOLKATA: The Ferry services have been suspended across all districts of West Bengal on Monday and a high alert has been sounded in the wake of approaching Cyclone Amphan, which intensified into a super cyclonic storm today.

The West Bengal government has issued a high alert in the coastal districts of East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas and parts of Sunderbans and disaster management teams have been sent, a senior official said.

Cyclone 'Amphan' intensified into a super cyclonic storm on Monday and is likely to move across 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.

West Bengal Home Secretary Alapan Bandopdhyay said that the entire state machinery is prepared to deal with the situation.

Disaster management teams are being sent to cyclone shelters in the coastal areas and other places for rescue and relief operations, he said.

Bandopadhyay said that provisions have been made for maintaining social distancing norms at these shelters in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are also there for rescue and relief operations.

The state chief secretary held a meeting with concerned officials on Saturday evening to take stock of preparations and the movement of the cyclone, he said.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into North Bay of Bengal along and off West Bengal-Odisha coasts from May 18 to 21 and those who are out in the sea were asked to return to coasts by May 17.

Sea condition will be very high to phenomenal over north Bay of Bengal on May 19 and 20, the regional Met director said.

Wind speed along and off the coastal areas of West Bengal will reach 45 to 55 kmph with gusts of 65 kmph from May 19 afternoon and will gradually increase to 75 to 85 kmph with gusts upto 90 kmph from May 20 morning, the weatherman said.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has also prepared itself for maritime search and rescue operations.

"All out efforts have been made in the maritime states of West Bengal and Odisha in co-ordination with the state administration and Fisheries department," the ICG has said.

The ICG ships and aircraft on patrol are directing fishing boats operating at sea to return to harbour for safety, it said. 

Relief materials, dry fruits and trampoline have been dispatched, he added.
"We are taking all measures to tackle any contingency. Special control rooms have been set up, and State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed. We are also making announcements through public address systems," the official said.

Quick response teams comprising trained civil defence volunteers and vehicles with necessary equipment have already reached the districts. The State Emergency Operation Centre, functioning at the state secretariat, is in constant touch with district EOCs, the officials said.