IMD further said that it would further intensify into an extremely severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours.
The low-pressure deep depression in the Bay of Bengal, named as Cyclone 'Amphan' has intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Sunday.
The weather agency further said that it would further intensify into an extremely severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours.
"The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘AMPHAN’ over central parts of South Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood moved slowly northwards with a speed of 05 kmph during past 6 hours, further intensified into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. It is very likely to intensify further into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 24 hours," IMD said in a bulletin.
It added that the cyclone is very likely to move nearly northwards slowly during next 12 hours and then re-curve north-northeastwards and move fast across the northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya Islands in Bangladesh during the afternoon or evening of May 20 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.
Amphan is centred in South Bay of Bengal, about 960 km south of Paradip off Odisha coast, 1110 km south of Digha, and 1230 km south-southwest of Khepupara off Bangladesh coast.
The weather office had dispatched an alert on the brewing storm, Cyclone Amphan, to the National Disaster Response Force and the chief secretaries of eight states and Union Territories on May 14.
The sea condition is likely to be very rough and alerts have been issued to fishermen to not venture into the waters off Andhra coast and Odisha-West Bengal coasts from May 18 onwards.
While Andaman and Nicobar Islands are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall in the next 24 hours, coastal Odisha is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places from 18 th May evening.
Rainfall is expected at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places & extremely heavy falls at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal on 20th May, IMD said.
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