Bhubaneswar: The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Hamoon’ over Northwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm on Tuesday morning and it is likely to maintain its intensity for a few hours, the India Meteorological Department said in its midday bulletin.
The weather agency further said that the storm moved moved east-northeastwards with a speed of 23 kmph during past 6 hours and was lying centered about 330 km east of Paradip (Odisha), 290 km east southeast of Digha (West Bengal), 190 km south of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 305 km southwest of Chittagong (Bangladesh) at 11.30 am. “It is very likely to maintain its intensity of Very Severe Cyclonic Storm for a few hours. Thereafter, it is likely to weaken gradually while moving northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between Khepupara and Chittagong around evening of October 25 as a cyclonic storm with wind speed of 65 to 75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph,” it added.
Under its influence, light to moderate rain/ thundershower may occur at one or two places in coastal Odisha, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Soundergarh, Deogarh, Angul,Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Boudh, Rayagada and Koraput till 8.30 am on Wednesday. Light to moderate rain/ thundershower is also likely at one or two places in coastal Odisha, Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri during the subsequent 24 hours. Dry weather will prevail thereafter.
While sea conditions along and off Odisha coasts will remain rough to very rough till October 25, squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph may prevail till October 24 morning and decrease thereafter. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off Odisha coast and North adjoining central Bay of Bengal till October 25. All ports in Odisha have been asked to hoist Distant warning Signal No-2.
The Municipal Administration in Odisha has put all Urban Local Bodies (ULB) on alert in view of the storm.
The IMD further informed that gale wind speed reaching 115-125 kmph gusting to 135 kmph is prevailing over northwest Bay of Bengal. It is likely to become 120-130 kmph gusting 140 kmph during next 6 hours. It would decrease gradually thereafter becoming gale wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph by October 24 midnight, and squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph by October 25 evening and would decrease thereafter.
In northeast Bay of Bengal, gale wind speed reaching 115-125 kmph gusting to 135 kmph is prevailing. It is likely to become 120-130 kmph gusting 140 kmph during next 6 hours. It would decrease gradually thereafter becoming gale wind speed reaching 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph by October 24 midnight, and 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph by October 25 evening and would decrease thereafter.
Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph is prevailing over westcentral Bay of Bengal and it would gradually decrease becoming 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph from October evening.
There are possibilities of medium to heavy showers in South 24 Parganas, North 25 Parganas, East Midnapore and West Midnapore. Wind speed in these four districts at that point of time will range between 40 and 50 km an hour. Light to medium rainfall is also expected in Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts, according to Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Kolkata.
