Cyclone Amphan live updates: Cyclone Amphan claims two lives in West Bengal

Men walk past as waves as Cyclone Amphan barrels towards India's eastern coast.

• The cyclone, officials fear, will cause large-scale damage to crops and plantations, and disrupt electricity and communication lines
• Cyclone Amphan to completely enter land by 7 PMTopics
  Amphan
  Cyclone Amphan has commenced landfall since 2.30 pm on Wednesday and it will continue for about four hours, said Director of Indian Meteorological Department, Bhubaneswar Centre, HR Biswas. Odisha and West Bengal have evacuated nearly 1.5 lakh and 3.3 lakh people respectively ahead of the landfall of cyclone Amphan.

  Amphan is the Bay of Bengal's fiercest cyclone this century after it intensified with sustained wind speeds of up to 270 kilometers per hour, on Monday night.

  Amphan cyclone - All the latest updates:

  Cyclone Amphan claims two lives in West Bengal: Officials

  Two women were killed in Howrah district and Minakhan area of North 24 Parganas district due to uprooting of trees, an official said

  Cyclone Amphan to completely enter land by 7 PM: IMD
• Cyclone Amphan is currently crossing the West Bengal coast near the Sunderbans and will reach Kolkata by evening, IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said on Wednesday as the storm was making a landfall. He said strong winds with an intensity of 160 kilometres per hour have commenced in coastal West Bengal districts.
  "The first arm of Cyclone Amphan has touched the land. The eye of the cyclone is expected to touch land anytime," he said.
  The width of the wall cloud is around 120 kilometres and the diameter of the eye is about 40 kilometres. The rear side is about 120 kilometres and the entire process will be completed by 3-4 hours.
  South and North 24 Parganas will witness a lull as the eye of cyclone passes through, but heavy rains, strong winds will resume in the next 30 minutes.Amphan crossing West Bengal
  Amphan is crossing West Bengal Coast between Digha&Hatiya close to Sunderban. The forward sector of wall clouds has entered into the land. Landfall process will continue and take 2-3 hours to complete: India Meteorological Department in a bulletin issued at 4:30 pm
  NDRF on ground
  The NDRF has positioned over 41 teams to carry out evacuation and relief, Director General S.N.Pradhan had said on Tuesday.
  Amphan will move north-northeastwards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast
  The Cyclone is 190 km east-northeast of Odisha's Paradip, 65 km east-southeast of West Bengal's Digha, 35 km from Sagar island and 225 km south-southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh.
  Amphan will move north-northeastwards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast between Digha and Hatiya Islands close to Sundarbans around Sagar Island. During landfall, the intensity of cyclone is likely to be 155 to 165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph.Amphan begins landfall
  The landfall process of Cyclone Amphan has commenced since 2.30 pm on Wednesday and it will continue for about four hours, said Director of Indian Meteorological Department, Bhubaneswar Centre, HR Biswas.
  'Amphan' rolls towards Indian shores, unleashes downpour, flattens dwellings
  Extremely severe cyclone 'Amphan' hurtled towards Indian shores on Wednesday, triggering downpour in coastal Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal, uprooting trees, flattening fragile dwellings and forcing evacuation of over four lakh people, officials said.
  Despite losing its force a bit since Tuesday, the storm, which was categorised as super cyclone at one point of time, has left the two eastern states on edge as it hollered on its destructive path over the Bay of Bengal.
  Woman delivers baby in fire service vehicleA woman gave birth to a girl inside a fire service vehicle in Odisha's Kendrapara district on Wednesday amid the raging cyclone 'Amphan', an official said.
  Both the mother and the newborn are healthy and have been shifted to Mahakalpada government-run community health centre in the district, Deputy Fire Officer P K Dash said.
  Tidal waves as high as 6 metres expected in Bengal
  Issuing a video message update, the chief of the the federal contingency force said rescue forces and administration are concerned and geared to tackle a storm surge or tidal waves up to 4-6 metres high as it is a new moon night or 'amavasya'.
  About 4.5 lakh evacuated from Odisha, WB
  About 4.5 lakh people have been evacuated from vulnerable area in West Bengal and Odisha ahead of the landfall of cyclonic storm 'Amphan', NDRF chief S N Pradhan said on Wednesday.As per data received from the state governments, he added, about 1.20-1.25 lakh people have been evacuated in Odisha and about 3.30 lakh in West Bengal in view of the cyclone.
  Coronavirus + Cyclone Amphan = Catastrophe
  An Indian federal home ministry official said West Bengal and neighbouring Odisha state were struggling to house thousands of evacuees as existing shelters were being used as coronavirus quarantine centres, reports Reuters.
  Extra shelters were being prepared in wholesale markets and government buildings with allowances made for social distancing, while masks and scarves were being distributed among the villagers.
  Indian Navy on high alert for relief efforts in wake of Cyclone Amphan
  In the wake of Cyclone Amphan, the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) is monitoring the developments in the Bay of Bengal closely and ships at Visakhapatnam have been kept on standby to proceed to affected areas to undertake humanitarian aid, distress relief, evacuation, and logistic support.Speed to be around 155-165 kmph
  Cyclone Amphan lies 177km south southeast of Digha. After landfall, it is likely to move north northeast close to Kolkata. At the time of crossing coast, wind speed to be around 155-165kmph. It is likely to retain intensity as cyclone till May 21 morning: Dy Director,IMD Kolkata
  Cyclone Amphan: Heavy downpour, high velocity winds pound Odisha
  As cyclone "Amphan" hurtled towards the coast, heavy downpour coupled with high velocity winds pounded coastal Odisha, uprooting trees and flattening fragile structures, officials said on Wednesday.
  240 km south of West Bengal's Digha
  Cyclone 'Amphan' lay centred about 240 km south of Digha in West Bengal on Wednesday morning as an extremely severe cyclonic storm, the Met department said hereThe intensity near the centre of the storm was 170 to 180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph, the Met said.
  Heavy rain, strong winds in coastal Odisha
  The Odisha government has evacuated over 1.37 lakh people to safer places as extremely severe cyclone Amphan hurtled towards the coast triggering heavy rain and strong wind.
  Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Kumar Jena informed that over 1.37 lakh people have been evacuated to cyclone shelters till morning and the figure may go up.
  Next few hours very crucial for Cyclone 'Amphan'
  Cyclone 'Amphan' lies 110 kms from Paradip and is moving at a speed of 18-19kmph. An hour ago, wind speed of 102kmph was observed at Paradip. Landfall expected near Sunderbans in West Bengal by late evening today. Next 6-8 hrs crucial: PK Jena, Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha.