Cyclone Amphan headed towards WB, Odisha, Andaman; to intensify over Bay of Bengal soon

A cyclone that's likely to form in the southern Bay of Bengal by the evening of May 16 will bring rain to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Odisha and West Bengal, the IMD said.

On May 14, the weather office 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.

"Yesterday’s low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining the south Andaman Sea lay as a well-marked low-pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood with associated cyclonic circulation extending up to mid-tropospheric levels," the IMD said in a bulletin.

The low-pressure area is very likely to concentrate into a depression over central parts of south Bay of Bengal on May 15 and “further intensify into a cyclonic storm” over the same region by 5:30 pm on May 16, the IMD bulletin further said.

While light to moderate rain is expected at most places over Andaman and Nicobar Islands on May 15-16; heavy rainfall at isolated places is expected in these two days. Coastal Odisha is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall with heavy falls at a few places on May 18 and heavy to very heavy falls at a few places on May 19. 

"Fishermen are advised not to venture into the south and the central Bay of Bengal from 15th May 2020," the IMD said. "Those who are out at sea over these regions are advised to return to coasts by tomorrow."

"Also, fishermen are advised not to venture into the west-central BoB off the north Andhra Pradesh coast on the 18th and into the north BoB along and off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts from 18th May 2020 onwards. Those who are out at sea over these regions are advised to return to coasts by 17th May," it said.