Rainfall data of some towns in Darjeeling -Sikkim Himalaya: April 2020

My thanks to Shreya for her help

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya

Super Cyclone Amphan makes landfall in the vicinity of Kolkata: 20May2010 (1430hrs onwards)

Source:https://en.allmetsat.com/metar-taf/india-nepal-bhutan-bangladesh-burma.php?icao=VECC

Tracking the Beast

Was declared a Cyclonic Storm 'Amphan' on 16May2020, after which it rapidly intensified in Severe Cyclone. STH posted continuous updates on the tracks of the storm

RSMC, Delhi and JTWC issued some 33 advisory bulletins and 18 warnings respectively from 15May until the storm made landfall exactly as predicted on 20May near Kolkata

First track forecast and the final track observed are placed below:

Rainfall

Fact Sheet:

·        * Landfall process started at around 1430hrs/20May2020 between Digha and Hadia islands as predicted and passed thru the Sunderbans between 1530hrs to 1730hrs.

·       *  Wind speed at the time of landfall and crossing coast 155kmph and going up to 185kmph in gusts. Max recorded windspeed in Kolkata, from observatory at Dum Dum was 130kmph at 1855hrs on 20May.

·        * Windspeeds in Kolkata started increasing from around 1700hrs, max windspeeds were around 1900-1920hrs after which the speeds became less. Max winds were felt between 17-2100hrs.

·        * Most impacts on South 24 Parganas and East Midnapur and then Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts.

·        * Was tracked continuously by DWR along the East Coasts which could give accurate information on intensity, landfall point and time, associated weather, storm surge, heavy rain and winds at different districts.

·       *  Heavy to extremely rain was observed in all the affected areas. 24 hrs rain in Kolktata (Alipore) 240mm, Dum Dum 200mm.

·       * After hitting Kolkata, the storm moved in a NNE direction and crossed the Bangladesh border at 2330hrs and became a deep depression in Bangladesh on 21May2020.

·       * Windspeeds in Meghalaya were 60kmph on 21May2020 and affected the NE States thereafter.
    
 STH cautionary advice (printed by media days prior to the storm):

 Images from the SUNDERBANS

    
     Praful Rao

           Kalimpong district
     Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya

First CYLONE of 2020 in the Bay of Bengal?

As per IMD (NWP), we might be heading for our second brush with a cyclone in the month of MAY after a gap of 11 years. I still have vivid memories of CYLCONE AILA which hit us in May2009 and left scars which have not healed till date.
Placed below is the forecast of the storm from the NWP:

We r watching the developments closely and have already alerted concerned departments. CYCLONE AILA was bad but this time it's worse, because over and above the cyclone we have another unwelcome visitor - COVID19 is doing the rounds among us.
Do remember that these are NWP charts and by 16May2020 we are likely to get much more detailed forecast tracks from IMD as well as other websites such as JTWC
Praful Rao,
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya

Update 1

From Weather.com: Cyclone in Bay of Bengal (May2020)

Update 2 (1200h/16May2020)

Above track has now been formally announced by IMD in a RSMC bulletin

Update 3
Warning No 1 from the JTWC

Update 4

Cyclone 'Amphan' was born yesterday as the depression strengthened and it has since become a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) which is supposed to make landfall near DIGHA on 20May2020 as a VSCS. STH has been conducting awareness workshops on the cyclone both on social networks as well as on local TV.

PS: That's my dog, Kaali in the photo. She follows me like a shadow :)

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong district,
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya

Participating 'online' in 'National BrainStorming Network on Landslides' at BITS, MESRA - 16Mar2020

Even though I was invited to attend the above workshop at BITS, Mesra (Ranchi), because of the COVID19 problem, I cancelled my travel plans.
I could however deliver my entire presentation on 'Landslides Hazards - a silent disaster form', online to the many scientists available at BITS and I daresay it was well received.


Praful Rao,
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling- SIkkim Himalaya

A discourse on 'Earthquake risk in the Himalayas with specific reference to the Darjeeling-Kalimpong region' with Prof Malay Mukul, IIT Bombay, 12Mar2020

My thanks to Prof Malay Mukul (Dept of Earth Sciences), IIT Bombay for readily agreeing to talk and to Kalimpong Rotary Center for hosting the event.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya

Training program on DRR with Urban Local Bodies, organized by the District Disaster Management Dept, Darjeeling 04Mar2020

My talk on landslides and DRR was well received

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya

Attending the PROJECT LANDSLIP annual meeting at TERI Resort (26Feb-29Feb2020), Gualpahari, Haryana

Images from Annual Meet are placed above.

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya

Field visit to Landslide affected areas of CHIBO-PASHYOR (Kalimpong) with PG students and Research Scholars of North Bengal University -15Feb2020

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong district,
Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya

District Level Workshop organized by Dept of Science and Technology and BioScience, Govt of W Bengal, on Capacity Building under National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)- 13Feb2020

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong District
Darjeeling- Sikkim Himalaya

Solid Waste Management meeting in Kalimpong - 08Feb2020

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong District,
Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya