Amphan Weakens Into Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm; Onset Of Monsoon Gets Delayed In Kerala

India Meteorological Department has said that cyclone Amphan will delay the onset of the monsoon by a few days in Kerala and some other parts of India.

The tidal wave is expected to be about 4-6 feet above the astronomical tide. (Image: AFP)

New Delhi: According to the latest updates by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), intensified Cyclone Amphan, with 700 km width and 15 km height, is whirling 570 km south-southwest of West Bengal's Digha and 700 km south-southwest of Bangladesh's Khepupara. It is likely to make landfall between the two islands in over 24 hours. An  IANS report quoted the Weather Official reporting the latest information on the cyclone, as per which, Cyclone Amphan had gathered strength on Monday to become the first super cyclone in the Bay of Bengal since 1999 when a cyclone of similar intensity killed over 9,000 people in Odisha. However, it weakened into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm" on Tuesday afternoon. After the landfall, IMD reported that the wind will be blowing at 165-195 km/h along with heavy to extremely heavy rain. The tidal wave is expected to be about 4-6 feet above the astronomical tide. The IMD had earlier alerted that due to a cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal and Odisha, the monsoon is likely to arrive over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands around May 16 and May 17, five to six days before its new onset date of May 22. The natural calamity spells bad news for the farmers awaiting rainfall in mainland India, as the same cyclone will hinder monsoon's progress as it moves further. IMD suggested that the cyclone will delay the onset of the monsoon by a few days over the country. It further said that the onset of the monsoon in Kerala would be delayed by four days, to June 5. "Currently, it (a low pressure area, the first stage of any cyclone) is in southeast Bay of Bengal. But as it moves further north and then northeast Bay of Bengal, it will affect the pace of monsoon. This will also have an impact on the onset of monsoon over Kerala," IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said to PTI.