Cyclonic Storm ‘Midhili’ Forms Over Bay, 190KM Off Odisha Coast; Know Who Named It & The Meaning

Bhubaneswar: The deep depression has intensified into cyclonic storm ‘Midhili’ over Northwest Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Friday.

“The deep depression over Northwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 20 kmph during past 6 hours, intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Midhili’ and lay centered at 5.30 am over Northwest Bay of Bengal, about 190 km east of Paradip (Odisha), 200 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal) and 220 km southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh),” the weather agency said.

It is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast close to Khepupara with wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph during November 17 night and early hours of November 18, it added.

Under its influence, squally weather with wind speed 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely to prevail along & off Odisha coast on November 17.

The name ‘Midhili’ has been suggested by Maldives. It means a huge tree, according to honourary consul of the Republic of Maldives in Kolkata, Ram Krishna Jaiswal.

Countries affected by Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal cyclones rotationally name cyclones in a sequence, starting with Bangladesh followed by India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE and Yemen. The names are chosen in a manner that assures neutrality in its political and religious nature.

Midhili is the third cyclone in the northern Bay after Tej and Hamoon in a span of a month and half. “Cyclonic storms are relatively frequent in the Bay during November but they seldom have a substantial impact in Bengal as they usually recurve towards Bangladesh,” Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) director G K Das was quoted as saying.