Cyclone Michaung likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm on Monday

Five southern Odisha districts - Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam - were put on alert as the IMD issued Yellow Warning (be updated) of 7 cm to 11 cm rainfall on Monday and the intensity of rain (orange warning) is likely to increase in these areas on December 5.

Bhubaneswar: The cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ over the Bay of Bengal is active and likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday as some parts of Odisha experienced light to moderate rain, the IMD said.

Five southern Odisha districts – Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam – were put on alert as the IMD issued Yellow Warning (be updated) of 7 cm to 11 cm rainfall on Monday and the intensity of rain (orange warning) is likely to increase in these areas on December 5.

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The cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ (pronounced as Migjaum) over Southwest and adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during past 6 hours at 5.30 am of Monday and located at 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, and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday. “Thereafter, it would move nearly northwards almost parallel and close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross the South Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla during the forenoon of December 5 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph,” IMD said in a special bulletin.

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 districts on December 6.

The IMD 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 to 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, it said.

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

Meanwhile, farmers have started harvesting their standing matured crops as advised by the state government, an official said.