Cyclone Michaung Likely Over Bay In 24 Hours; Landfall With 100Kmph Wind Speed

Bhubaneswar: The depression over Ssouthwest Bay of Bengal intensified into deep depression on Saturday morning.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 18 kmph during past 6 hours, intensified into a deep depression and lay centered at 5.30 am over the same region, about 500 km east-southeast of Puducherry, 510 km east-southeast of Chennai, 630 km southeast of Nellore, 710 km south-southeast of Bapatla and 710 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam.

“It is likely to move west-northwestwards, intensify into a cyclonic storm over southwest Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours. Thereafter, it would move northwestwards and reach westcentral Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts by December 4 forenoon. Thereafter, it would move nearly northwards almost parallel and close to south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross South Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam during December 5 forenoon as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph,” it added.

If the system intensifies into a cyclone, it will be called Michaung, a name suggested by Myanmar.

Under its influence, Odisha is likely to experience heavy to very heavy rain on December 4-5. The weather agency has issued yellow and orange warnings for the state. Wind alert has also been sounded as squally weather with gusty surface wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph is likely along and off coastal districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Jagatsinghpur on December 5. Also gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph likely over Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts.

Also Read: Cyclone ‘Michaung’ To Trigger Very Heavy Rain In Odisha; Wind Warning For Coasts & 3 Districts

According to SOA’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) in Bhubaneswar, the south Odisha districts of Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam might experience wind speed of 75 km per hour on December 5. As a consequence, moderate to heavy rainfall might occur in these districts along with districts of Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur. These districts could experience heavy to very heavy rainfall on December 5 and 6 while moderate to heavy to very heavy precipitation is likely at one or two locations in the districts of Khurda, Nayagarh, Puri, Cuttack and neighbouring areas between December 5 and 7, it added.