‘Michaung’ To Intensify Into Severe Cyclonic Storm Today; Heavy Rain & Squall To Lash Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Some places in South Odisha are likely to experience heavy rain on Monday under the influence of Cyclone Michaung, which is active in the Bay of Bengal, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre informed.

According to the weather agency, the cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centered at 5.30 am today over the westcentral & adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts, about 110 km east-northeast of Chennai, 190 km southeast of Nellore, 210 km northeast of Puducherry, 310 km south-southeast of Bapatla and 330 km southeast of Machilipatnam.

“It is likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by today 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, close to Bapatla during forenoon of December 5 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph,” it added.

The MeT office has sounded yellow warning of heavy rain for some places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam districts during the day. The intensity of rain (orange warning) is likely to increase in these five districts on December 5.

Yellow warning of heavy rain has also been issued for one or two places in Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada on December 6.

The weather agency has also warned of squally wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph along and off Odisha coast (Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur) from December 4 evening and it is likely to gradually increase becoming 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph from December 5 evening for subsequent 12 hours. It would gradually decrease thereafter. Also, strong surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph likely over Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts of Odisha on December 5.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep sea along and off Odisha coast during December 4-6.