The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday, May 18 issued a cyclone alert for West Bengal and north Odisha coasts as an extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Amphan' was over the central parts of the South Bay of Bengal and adjoining central Bay of Bengal.

cyclone amphan
The NDRF, Armed Forces and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on alert and are coordinating with the state government authorities.Twitter

Extremely severe cyclonic storm 

In a statement, the IMD said, "The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm 'AMPHAN' (pronounced as UM-PUN) over the central parts of South Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 13 kmph during past six hours, has intensified into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm and lay centred at 0230 hrs IST of today, the 18th May 2020 over central parts of South Bay of Bengal and adjoining central Bay of Bengal near latitude 12.9°N and longitude 86.4°E, about 820 km nearly south of Paradip (Odisha), 980 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 1090 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh)."

'Likely to intensify further during the next 6 hours'

"It is very likely to intensify further during the next six hours. It is very likely to move north-northeastwards and move fast across the northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal - Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) during the afternoon/evening of 20th May 2020 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm," the IMD further warned.

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