India / 17 NDRF teams deployed in Odisha, Bengal in view of cyclone Amphan

New Delhi: Soon after the MeT department said that cyclone Amphan intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Sunday said that it had deployed 17 teams in Odisha and West Bengal to tackle the situation.

Speaking to news agency PTI, NDRF Director General SN Pradhan said that the federal contingency force is watching the situation closely from the headquarters and is in touch with state governments, the Indian Meteorological Department and all stakeholder agencies.

The statement from the NDRF came after the IMD said that the cyclone ‘Amphan’ is developing into a severe cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal and can become a very severe cyclonic storm potentially in the next 24 hours.

“The trajectory is mostly towards West Bengal, Sagar Islands and probably towards Bangladesh. But we have to watch the trajectory very closely. NDRF has deployed the teams well in advance. They are either deployed or moving towards the destination,” he said.

As per the updates from the NDRF, the teams are deployed in six districts of Bengal such as  South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly.

Similarly in Odisha, 10 teams have been deployed in seven districts such as Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj.

One team of NDRF consists of around 45 personnel. These teams are already been deployed and the personnel are either conducting awareness drives or implementing preparatory measures.

Issuing a circular, the Home Ministry said that the cyclonic storm ‘Amphan’ is moving over southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood and has been turning north-northwestwards with a speed of six kmph over past six hours.

As per updates, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by high-speed winds and tidal waves, are expected in the region due to Cyclone ‘Amphan’.

The MeT has said that on May 20, rainfall will occur in many places over the districts in Gangetic West Bengal, with heavy to very heavy downpour in North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts.

It further said that the ‘Amphan’ is likely to trigger heavy rainfall in some parts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts in Odisha, while moderate rainfall will lash other coastal areas from Monday onwards.