Odisha govt says IMD forecast getting better with time, thanks 'cyclone man' Mohapatra

The Odisha government on Thursday showered praises on the India Meteorological Department (IMD), saying weather forecast is getting better with time, a day after cyclone 'Amphan' rolled past its coast causing minimal damage in the state.

The government thanked IMD's Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra for accurate predictions.

The IMD's predictions on the cyclone's trajectory, wind speed as well as its character in sea and impact were "to the point" and "accurate" which helped the state in making required preparation to face the calamity, Odisha's Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said.

Stating that accurate forecast of the natural calamity is a great weapon to contain the damage to life and property, Tripathy said, "The IMD is valuable in this area and its forecast is getting better with time."
Noting that the Odisha administration was on its toes after getting information that a super cyclone was being formed in the Bay of Bengal, Jena said, "It was a sleepless night on Tuesday for all of us. Though IMD had given a clear picture, still we were apprehensive."
After the cyclone went past several coastal districts, Jena said, "We found that IMD's prediction was not only accurate, but exact. The impact was felt in specific blocks of certain districts as told by Mohapatra."