Cyclone Amphan likely to intensify in next 24 hours, NDRF deploys 10 teams in Odisha, 7 in West Bengal

Amid warnings around Cyclone Amphan, which is likely to intensify in next 24 hours, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed its teams in Odisha and West Bengal.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has sent its 10 teams to Odisha and 7 teams to West Bengal in view of the approaching Cyclone Amphan, which is likely to intensify in next 24 hours. “In Odisha, 10 teams have been sent to 7 districts and more than 10 are on standby, in West Bengal, 7 teams have been sent to 6 districts and over 10 are on standby. We are monitoring the situation and working in coordination with all the agencies,” SN Pradhan, Director General of NDRF said while giving an update on Cyclone Amphan.

While the NDRF teams have been deployed in West Bengal’s South 24 Pragnas, North 24 Pragnas, East and West Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly, they have sent to Odisha’s Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Balasore, Japur, Bhadrak and Mayurbhaj. The teams in these districts are creating awareness drives or implementing preparation drives for cyclone itself, Pradhan said.

The NDRF is monitoring the situation and working with states and their disaster management teams and the India Meteorological Department. “NDRF teams either have been reached to the said districts or about to reach. We will take action according to the situation and work together with State Disaster Response Fund and police,” NDRF DG said.

The IMD, Bhubaneswar has stated that cyclonic storm Amphan is very likely to intensify further into a “severe cyclonic storm” during next six hours and into a “very severe cyclonic storm” during subsequent 12 hours.