Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued orange warning for north Odisha coast in view of the Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan. Till 8.30 am on May 20, the IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak. While issuing yellow warning, the weathermen forecast heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated over the districts of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Khurda, Cuttack, Puri and Jajpur.
The IMD further predicted squally wind with speed reaching 55 to 65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph will prevail along and off south Odisha coast and 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph along and off north Odisha coast. It is very likely to increase becoming 55 to 65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph along and off north Odisha coast by Monday evening.
From 0830 am on May 20 up to 0830 am May 21, the met department forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Balasore and Mayurbhanj whereas heavy rainfall very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Jajpur, Bhadrak and Keonjhar.
The wind speed will gradually increase becoming gale wind speed reaching 75 to 85 kmph gusting to 95 kmph from May 20 morning along and off north Odisha coast (Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore) and Mayurbhanj districts. It will gradually increase thereafter becoming 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 125 kmph along and off the above mentioned districts of North Odisha. Squally wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph likely to prevail over Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur districts of Odisha during May 20.
The Super Cyclonic Storm over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 17 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 1130 hrs on Tuesday as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm near latitude 16.5°N and longitude 86.9°E over Westcentral Bay of Bengal about 420 km nearly south of Paradip (Odisha), 570 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 700 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh).
It is very likely to move north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans during afternoon to evening hours of May 20t with maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off Odisha coast till May 21, 2020.
