Cyclone Amphan in India

Cyclone Amphan is expected to make landfall in India on 20 May, on the coasts of India and Bangladesh between the Sagar Islands in West Bengal and the Hatiya Islands in Bangladesh.

The storm is currently Category Four on the Saffir-Simpson scale, but when it entered the Bay of Bengal on 18 May it was the strongest storm on record in the area and classified as a Super Cyclone. The storm had wind speeds of 270 kilometres per hour, but has since weakened to 200 kilometres per hour. The strong winds are expected to cause damage and the storm is forecast to bring heavy rain causing flooding. Storm surges of up to 4 metres are expected in some areas.

Officials are working to evacuate people in the affected areas (estimated to be as many as 300,000) but are finding it difficult to relocate the evacuees. Due to the Coronavirus, many in the country are under lockdown, and space in emergency shelters is limited due to distancing measures. While the shelters would normally accommodate as many as 500,000, they now may only have capacity for half that number.

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