The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), Home Department in coordination with the IMD, Regional Office Guwahati issues weather updates with regard to Cyclone ‘AMPHAN’ for the coming days.

The Super Cyclonic Storm ‘AMPHAN’ over West central and adjoining East central Bay of Bengal moved north-north eastwards with a speed of 80 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 05:30 hrs IST of 19th May 2020 near latitude 16.97°N and longitude 87.13°E over West central Bay of Bengal about 520 km nearly south of Paradip (Odisha), 670 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 800 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh). 

Cyclone ‘AMPHAN” will make landfall over coastal West Bengal near Digha on the 20thof May 2020 between 2:00 -6:00 pm. The Cyclone will rapidly weaken after crossing the coast and within 12 hours, it will move across Bangladesh. The Cyclone will then weaken to a depression and thereafter to a low pressure while moving across Meghalaya, lower Assam and western half of Arunachal Pradesh. The State of Nagaland will not be directly impacted by this storm. However, scattered rain and thundershowers, particularly during evening and night, will be a common feature for the next few days. There will be a spike in the weather activity over Nagaland gradually from 20th of May 2020 onwards and last till 28th or till31st May 2020. Thunder squalls with severe lightening are also expected during this period.

 All the DDMAs and other line departments who are responsible to attend to any emergencies caused by natural calamities are requested to be on alert to save lives and properties during this period, though the state is engaged in the fight against COVID-19 outbreak.

In a press release, NSDMA, Home Department has urged the public to be vigilant during this period from lightning, gusty winds, and thunderstorms. The public has been requested not to shelter under large trees and near the river banks to prevent unnecessarily risk to life from lightning and flash flood.