Cyclone ‘Sitrang’ Lay Centred Off Bangladesh Coast

Bhubaneswar: The deep depression over westcentral and adjoining eastcentral Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards and lay centred off Bangladesh coast.

The regional centre of India Meteorological  Department (IMD) in Bhubaneswar, in its latest bulletin, said the system moved with a speed of 11 kmph during past 6 hours and intensified into cyclonic storm Sitrang.

At 5.30 pm, it lay centered over the same region near latitude 16.4N and longitude 88.1E, about 730 km northwest of Port Blair, 580 km south of Sagar Island and 740 km south-southwest of Barisal in Bangladesh.

It is very likely to move north-northeastwards, intensify into a severe cyclonic storm on Monday. Continuing to move north- northeastwards thereafter, it is very likely to cross Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip, close to Barisal on Tuesday early morning.

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

With an overcast sky, Bhubaneswar is likely to witness one or two spells of moderate rain on Sunday and Monday, the Met office said.