Cyclone Amphan: Centre Assures Help to West Bengal

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) asked all fishing activities to be suspended in West Bengal and Odisha till May 20, in the wake of the cyclonic storm to be intensified by Cyclone Amphan.

Thecyclone is expected to make landfall on Wednesday (May 20).

According to reports, these two states will be worst affected by the cyclone, which is packing in wind speeds up to 200 kmph.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and assured her help to deal with the situation arising due to the cyclone, as reported by news agency ANI.

According to IMD, the Amphan lay centered in the west-central Bay of Bengal and is likely to weaken into an 'extremely severe cyclonic storm' by noon on Tuesday.

The system, which was situated 670 km south-southwest of Digha in West Bengal, is very likely to move north-northeastwards across the northwest Bay of Bengal, and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts in the afternoon or evening of Wednesday as a 'very severe cyclonic storm', the IMD said.

TheIMD also said that Cyclone Amphan is expected to cross West Bengal-Bangladeshcoasts between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya islands in Bangladesh on May 20as a very severe cyclonic storm, after losing some steam as it approacheslandfall.

Gale wind speeds reaching 240 to 250 kmph wereprevailing over west-central and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal, the Metoffice said, adding, it will gradually reduce to 200 to 210 kmph gusting to 230kmph by Tuesday evening.