Bhubaneswar: The depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify further and finally take the shape of a very severe cyclonic storm by November 19, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.
The Depression over southeast & adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwards and lay centred about 630 km east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 690km west-southwest of Sri Vijaya Puram (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), 840 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 1010 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 1130 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha).
The system is likely to move north-north-westwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm over the central parts of the south and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal on November 16.
The system will be named Cyclone ‘Akvan’ once it intensifies into a Cyclonic Storm.
It is further likely to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on November 17. Its intensity is expected to increase over the following two days as it continues moving north-westwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast.
The IMD’s latest intensity forecast indicates that the system could become a very severe cyclonic storm by the early hours of November 19. At 5.30 am that day, its maximum sustained wind speed is forecasted to reach 120-130 kmph, with gusts up to 145 kmph.
Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by strong winds is likely to lash several parts of Odisha between November 18 and 22. The weather agency has issued orange and yellow warnings for different districts during the period.
On November 18-19, a yellow warning of heavy rainfall has been issued for the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, and Puri.
On November 19-20, the IMD has issued an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rain over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, and Puri.
This apart, a yellow warning has been sounded for the districts of Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghapur, Kataka, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamala, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Khordha, and Nayagada during the period.
On November 20-21, an orange warning has been issued for Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, and Ganjam districts, while yellow alert has been sounded for Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghapur, Kataka, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi, Kandhamala, Nawarangpur, Puri, Khordha, and Nayagada.
On November 21-22, the IMD has issued an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rain over the districts of Sundaragada, Jharsuguda, and Baragada, while Baleshwar, Sambalpur, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, and Balangir have been put on yellow alert.
