Cyclone 'Amphan': NDRF deploys 17 teams in Odisha, West Bengal

Seventeen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Odisha and West Bengal in view of the approaching cyclone 'Amphan', the chief of the force said on Sunday.

NDRF Director General S N Pradhan said in a video message that the federal contingency force is "watching the situation closely from the headquarters and we are in touch with state governments, the Indian Meteorological Department and all stakeholder agencies".

Cyclone 'Amphan', according to an IMD report on early Sunday, 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, he said.

"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.

Pradhan said seven teams of the force have been deployed in West Bengal. These teams are in six districts -- South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Howrah and Hooghly.

In Odisha, 10 teams have been deployed in seven districts -- 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.

Cyclonic storm 'Amphan' (pronounced as UM-PUN) 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, the home ministry said on Sunday.

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by high speed winds and tidal waves, are expected in the region due to Cyclone 'Amphan'.