Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the response preparedness against cyclone Amphan developing in the Bay of Bengal, and assured all possible Central assistance to the states which are likely to be hit.
Soon after the meeting, the prime minister wrote on Twitter that he prays for everyone's safety "and assure all possible support from the central government."
At the review meet, PM Modi took stock of the situation and reviewed the measures as well as the evacuation plan presented by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a statement from the Prime Minister''s Office said.
"During the presentation of the response plan, DG NDRF (SN Pradhan) informed that 25 NDRF teams have been deployed on the ground while 12 others are ready in reserve. Twenty-four other NDRF teams are also on standby in different parts of the country," the statement said.
The prime minister said he "reviewed the preparedness regarding the situation due to cyclone "Amphan". The response measures as well as evacuation plans were discussed."
Home Minister Amit Shah, Principal Advisor to the PM P K Sinha and Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba also attended the meeting.
Cyclone Amphan, which is expected to make a landfall in Bengal on Wednesday, has turned in to a "super cyclone", the weather office said this afternoon. It had intensified into an extremely severe cylonic storm overnight. "The Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm 'AMPHAN' (pronounced as UM-PUN) intensified into Super Cyclonic Storm at 1130 IST of today, the 18th May, 2020." The India Meteorological Department or IMD tweeted this afternoon.
It is likely to move north-northeastwards and fast across the northwest Bay of Bengal, and cross the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Digha and the Hatia island as a very severe cyclonic storm, the department said.
This has raised the likelihood of heavy rains and high-velocity winds in coastal Odisha and the state government has initiated the process of evacuating people from the vulnerable areas. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till May 21, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena said.
Several southern states were also hit by heavy rain due to the storm. A "very heavy rain warning" has been issued for Odisha, West Bengal, Sikkim, Meghalaya till Thursday (May 21).
Here are the highlights on Cyclone AMPHAN:
In view of the impending cyclone Amphan, 32 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Odisha and West Bengal, and 21 teams have been kept on standby, Director General of NDRF SN Pradhan said on Monday, reported ANI.
"In West Bengal, 19 NDRF teams have been deployed and four teams have been kept on standby. In Odisha, 13 NDRF teams have been deployed and 17 teams have been kept on standby," said Mr Pradhan during a joint video press conference with Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General (DG) Mritunjay Mohapatra.
Odisha will have to evacuate around 50,000 to 60,000 people amid the impending cyclone "Amphan", Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy said on Monday.
"We will have to evacuate around 50,000-60,000 people. 1,000 personnel of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force have been deployed," Mr Tripathy told ANI.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has reviewed the current situation and coordination between various departments involved in the preparedness against the upcoming cyclone, he said.
It is very likely to move north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal & cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Digha & Hatiya Islands close to Sundarbans during the afternoon/evening of 20th May as an extremely severe cyclonic storm: India Meteorological Department https://t.co/Tb6Gp8QmsH
- ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2020
#CycloneUpdate
- NDMA India (@ndmaindia) May 18, 2020
Super #CyclonicStorm 'AMPHAN' (pronounced as UM-PUN) over Westcentral #BayOfBengal: #CycloneWarning for #WestBengal and north #Odisha coasts: Orange Message.#CycloneAmphan #Cyclone
Source :: @IMDWeather pic.twitter.com/HatUqImitG
Adequate number of NDRF teams have been deployed in Odisha and West Bengal and are currently engaged in awareness and evacuation drives: DG, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on the super cyclone 'AMPHAN' pic.twitter.com/9cSVj3gNfx
- ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2020
Further, sufficient number of Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard teams have been put on alert to meet any contingency and provide support to the State Government: Sources (2/2) #CycloneAmphan
- ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2020
Odisha&West Bengal will be most affected due to super cyclonic storm 'AMPHAN'. 13&17teams deployed in Odisha&WB respectively. In a review meeting by the PM, it was decided that some NDRF teams should be ready for airlifting in case of an eventuality: SN Pradhan, DG NDRF pic.twitter.com/Zrh6K3QfBx
- ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2020
Reviewed the preparedness regarding the situation due to cyclone 'Amphan.' The response measures as well as evacuation plans were discussed. I pray for everyone's safety and assure all possible support from the Central Government. https://t.co/VJGCRE7jBO
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 18, 2020
Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds meeting with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) & National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officials to review the situation arising out of #CycloneAmphan in different parts of the country. Home Minister Amit Shah also present. pic.twitter.com/cxR5rXbsGf
- ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2020
#CycloneAmphan | मछुआरे के लिए #चक्रवात के दौरान क्या करें और क्या न करें#Cyclone #WestBengal #Odisha pic.twitter.com/jZo09MpMnH
- NDMA India (@ndmaindia) May 18, 2020
#Watch | "37 disaster relief teams deployed in Odisha and West Bengal": SN Prashan, DG NDRF on preparation in light of #CycloneAmphan pic.twitter.com/aoHz431CYJ
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 18, 2020
My SandArt at Puri sea beach in #Odisha with message "Stay safe & Don't panic " #CycloneAmphan pic.twitter.com/uhcQHQePi8
- Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) May 18, 2020
Super Cyclonic Storm 'AMPHAN' (pronounced as UM-PUN) : 18th May 2020 (1130 to 1157 IST). pic.twitter.com/7kkrjGiMOd
- India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) May 18, 2020
To review the arising cyclone situation in various parts of the country, PM @narendramodi ji will chair a high level meeting with MHA & NDMA, today at 4pm.
- Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 18, 2020
#CycloneAmphan | What To Do Before & During A #Cyclone#WestBengal #Odisha #BayOfBengal pic.twitter.com/yZTVxwkiCE
- NDMA India (@ndmaindia) May 18, 2020
Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm 'AMPHAN': 18th May 2020 (1000 to 1027 IST). Likely to intensify further as Super Cyclone. pic.twitter.com/iJK0RVpQtY
- India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) May 18, 2020
The "First Flag" has been raised across all #Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.
- UNHCR in Bangladesh (@UNHCR_BGD) May 18, 2020
Trained volunteers are spreading messaging & raising awareness as part of the national Cyclone Preparedness Programme #CPP.
Supplies are prepositioned & tie-down kits distributed.#CycloneAmphan pic.twitter.com/zHrz1zTAJC
The BJP unit of Bengal has hit out at the Mamata Banerjee government ahead of CYCLONE AMPHAN's expected landfall on Wednesday. "Even as Cyclone Amphan is heading towards Bengal, migrant workers who have returned from other states are being made to spend quarantine period in open tents in West Bengal! Only a merciless state government can subject its own residents to such peril! (sic)," the party tweeted.
#Amphan will be a CYCLONE with wind speed ranging from 200kmph to 265kmph. But it will be in the Sea during this 12-hrs. At the time of landfall on May 20 afternoon/evening, wind speed will be 155-165kmph gusting to 185kmph.
- DM Balasore (@DBalasore) May 18, 2020
Stay prepared. Stay safe. pic.twitter.com/axm8pwwE51
