Cyclone Amphan crosses WB-Bangladesh coasts as 'very severe cyclonic storm'

Super cyclone Amphan has crossed West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts as a 'very severe cyclonic storm' with the speed of 155-165 Kmph gusting to 185 km per hour across Sunderban, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday.

"As a very severe cyclonic storm over West Bengal coast near latitude 21.9°N and longitude 88.4°E, about: 35 km northeast of Sagar island, 70 km nearly south of Kolkata, 95 km east-northeast of Digha and 185 km west-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh)," the IMD said in its latest bulletin.

The current intensity of the storm near the centre is 140-150 Kmph gusting to 165 Kmph.

As per the IMD, the system is very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards with a wind speed of 140-150 Kmph gusting to 165 Kmph during the next two hours.

"The wind speed of 110-120 Kmph gusting to 135 Kmph likely to prevail over Howrah, Hooghly, and Kolkata districts during the next two hours and decrease thereafter. The wind speed of 80-90 Kmph gusting to 100 Kmph over West Medinipur, Vardhman, and Murshidabad during the next two hours and decrease thereafter," the weather agency said.

On wind forecast for coastal Odisha, the IMD predicted 60 to 90Kmph along and off over Balasore district during the next three hours.

More than 5 lakh people have been evacuated in West Bengal and 1,58,640 people in Odisha in view of cyclone Amhpan, said SN Pradhan, chief of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

The power supply has been cut off in North and South 24 Parganas of West Bengal as per Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's order in view of the super cyclone.

( With inputs from ANI )