Odisha: Depression Over Bay In 24 Hours; Cyclone ‘Michaung’ Likely Around Dec 2

Bhubaneswar: The well-marked low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a depression during the next 24 hours.

It is likely to further intensity into a cyclonic storm around December 2, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.

The IMD said that the well-marked low pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal & adjoining south Andaman Sea moved west-northwestwards and lay over southeast Bay of Bengal on Thursday morning.

It is likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over southeast Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours.

Thereafter, it is likely to move northwestwards and intensify gradually into a cyclonic storm over southwest & adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal around December 2, it said.

If the system intensifies into a cyclone, it will be called Michaung, a name suggested by Myanmar. It will be the sixth such event forming in the Indian Ocean this year, compared to the customary four cyclones that occur in most years, and the fourth in the Bay of Bengal.

The MeT Centre has said that light to moderate rain/thundershower may resume at one or two places in south coastal Odisha, Jagatsinghpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Kandhamal  on December 3, after a brief dry spell.

Light to moderate rain thundershower is also likely at a few places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput and at one or two places in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal and rest districts of coastal Odisha on December 4.

Light to moderate rain/thundershower may occur at many places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and at a few places in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, rest districts of coastal Odisha and at one or two places in remaining districts of the state on December 5.

It may be noted here that the Odisha government has put seven coastal districts on alert amid the likelihood of the formation of cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal.

In a letter to the collectors of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahoo mentioned about IMD’s forecast about the low-pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal & adjoining south Andaman Sea intensifying into a depression and later into a cyclonic storm.

Under the influence of the anticipated system, wind speed may reach up to 40-50 kmph over the central Bay of Bengal from December 1, and it may increase to 50-60 kmph on December 2. As the sea conditions are likely to be very rough, should be discouraged from venturing into the sea from the morning of December 1 and those who have gone to the sea should return by that date, he wrote in the latter to Fisheries and Animal Resources Department.

The department has also been directed to ensure communication of warning/alert messages to fishermen, and boats in the sea.

The SRC has also asked the Agriculture department to take preventive measure for protection of paddy and other crops in the state in view of the forecasted cyclone and possible rain.