BHUBANESWAR: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said severe cyclonic storm 'Amphan' will skirt Odisha coast and move fast across north-west Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal - Bangladesh coasts on Wednesday as a 'very severe tropical storm.'
The national forecaster said the cyclone will further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours and move slowly northwards in the next 24 hours.
"Amphan will move northwards then recurve north-northeastwards and move fast across north-west Bay of Bengal. Subsequently, it will cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island (WB) and Hatiya Island (Bangladesh) on Wednesday afternoon or evening as a very severe cyclonic storm," said Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Scientist Umasankar Das.
The cyclone will then intensify into extremely severe cyclonic storm in Bay of Bengal but weaken before making the landfall.
Under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts on Monday. Light to moderate rainfall or thundershower activity is expected at many places in coastal Odisha districts and Koraput and Rayagada besides at one or two places in remaining districts of the State during the period.
While orange warning has been issued for heavy rainfall at few places in coastal district of Odisha on Tuesday, wind speed will pick up from Monday along Odisha coast.
"Winds reaching 160 km/hr to 170 km/hr and gusting up to 190 km/hr will occur over northern parts of central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. Winds gusting up to 180 km/hr will prevail over north Bay of Bengal on Wednesday," said Das.
The Met Office has issued a red warning and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along Odisha coast from Monday. Those in the sea have been asked to return by Sunday night. The system lay centered about 980 km south of Paradip at 11.30 am on Sunday.
Private weather forecaster Skymet said, "At present, the cyclone is tracking towards the north and it will continue to move in a northerly direction for another 24 hours."
Thereafter, it is expected to recurve in north-northeast direction and the landfall seems to be over Bangladesh around May 21 evening. Wind speed at the time of landfall is expected to be around 140 km/hr to 150 km/hr and gusting up to 170 km/hr, it added.
Meanwhile, 15 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in 10 districts including coastal Puri, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore to handle any emergency situation.