Cyclone ‘Sitrang’: Heavy Rain, Squall Along Odisha Coast From Today

Bhubaneswar: The depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal is about 475 km northwest of Port Blair and it is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm over central Bay of Bengal by October 24 morning after concentrating into a deep depression by October 23 morning, India Meteorological Department informed late on Saturday.

“The system will cross Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip around early morning on October 25,” it added.

The cyclone will be named ‘Sitrang, if it intensifies into a storm.

The weather department has issued a yellow warning for heavy rainfall on Sunday and Monday in Odisha. Heavy rain is likely to occur at one or two places in Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, and Puri from on Sunday. The downpour will continue at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, and Cuttack on Monday.

Squally wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is very likely along and off Odisha coast on October 23. It will be 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph on October 24 and 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph along and off Balasore district and 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph along and off the remaining north coastal area of Odisha on October 25.

According to SOA’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC), the system is likely to move northwestwards and likely to intensify into a Deep Depression on October 23 morning and it may change its direction of movement north- northeastwards at night. Thereafter, it may intensify into a cyclonic storm on October 24 morning and its movement in the north-northeastwards will continue till landfall along the Bangladesh coast late on October 24 or early next morning.

Under its influence, light to moderate rain will occur at many places Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Khurda, Cuttack and Bhadrak on October 23. Moderate to heavy rain may occur at many places in Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur from the afternoon to October 24.

“Based on Saturday’s model products, the cyclone will move parallel to the Odisha coast with a distance of more than 150 km from the coast, so the wind speed may not be very high and vary from 60 to 80 kmph over Odisha coast,” CEC director S C Sahu said.