PM Modi To Review Cyclone Amphan Situation Today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a high-level meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at 4 pm today to review the situation arising out of cyclone 'Amphan' in West Bengal, Odisha and other parts of the country. Cyclone 'Amphan' intensified into a severe storm on Monday over the Bay of Bengal. It is likely to make a landfall between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya Islands in neighbouring Bangladesh around Wednesday.

Odisha is preparing itself for a likely scenario in which 11 lakh people may have to be evacuated. Heavy rains and high velocity winds are also expected to cause damage to property and lives for which the state is moving forward with preparedness.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked officials to formulate expeditious plans for shifting people from vulnerable areas to safe places.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning predicting heavy rainfall for West Bengal, Odisha, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim and Meghalaya till Thursday in view of the situation arising out of the cyclone, Amphan. In its warning, the IMD predicted that the storm 'Amphan' moving with 13 km per hour over west central and adjoining parts of Bay of Bengal could gain intensity and morph into a super-cyclonic storm in a span of 12 hours.

The IMD has predicted that northern parts of Odisha could be impacted due to 'Amphan'.

The Indian Coast guard is bracing itself for major search and rescue operations in the sea. Disaster management teams in both the states are also preparing themselves for rescue and relief operations during the time of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Prime Minister, in his high-level meeting, is likely to review all the steps being taken by the state agencies and NDMA.