Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said a depression formed over the east-central Bay of Bengal on Sunday morning is very likely make lanfall between Paradip (Odisha) and Sagar Islands (West Bengal) as a very severe cyclonic storm by the evening of May 26.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra informed that as of 11.30 am on Sunday, the system lay about 560 km north-northwest of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 590 km east-southeast of Paradip, 690 km south-southeast of Balasore and 670 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal).
It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm by Monday morning and further into a very severe cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours.
“The system would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach northwest Bay of Bengal near West Bengal and north Odisha coasts by the morning of May 26 and very likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal between Paradip and Sagar islands in the evening as a very severe cyclonic storm”, Mohapatra added.
He said the wind velocity on May 23 will be 45-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph. However, the velocity will gradually increase to 70-80 kmph with gusting to 90 kmph in the morning and 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph in the evening on May 24, 145-155 kmph gusting to 170 kmph on May 25 and 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 km on May 26.
Under its influence, there will light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall in the north coastal districts of Odisha on May 25. There will also be heavy to very heavy rains at a few places with extremely heavy rains in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Mayurbhanj and heavy to very heavy rains at a few places in the North Odisha districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Jajpur and Keonjhar on May 26, Mohapatra pointed out.
He further said that the squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting 60 kmph is very likely to prevail over North Bay of Bengal and along and off the Odisha, West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts from the evening on May 24.
It would increase gradually becoming 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph from 25th evening. It would further increase becoming gale wind speed 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from 26th early hours along and off West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts. It would gradually increase further becoming 90-100 gusting to 110 kmph from the afternoon on May 26 thereafter increase till the evening.
He said that due to the inclement weather, fishermen are advised not to venture into southeast and eastcentral Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and along and off Andaman & Nicobar Islands during May 23 and 24, into central Bay of Bengal from May 23 to 25 and into north Bay of Bengal and along and off West Bengal– Odisha–Bangladesh coasts from May 24 to 26.
Those who are out in the deep sea of eastcentral and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal are advised to return to the coast at the earliest.
Meanwhile, acting on the IMD forecast, distant cautionary signal-1 has been hoisted at Gopalpur, Puri, Paradip and Dhamra ports,
