Deep depression over Bay of Bengal likely to turn into cyclone by Monday evening: IMD

The cyclonic storm, after its formation, will be christened 'Hamoon', a name given by Iran

Bhubaneswar/Kolkata: The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclone by Monday evening, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.

The cyclonic storm, after its formation, will be christened ‘Hamoon’, a name given by Iran.

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The deep depression over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at about 320 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 470 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 610 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) at 11.30 am, it said.

“It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next three hours. It is very likely to move nearly north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between Khepupara and Chittagong around evening of October 25 as a deep depression,” the IMD said in its mid-day bulletin.

The Odisha government has asked all the district collectors to remain prepared for any eventuality, and directed the administration to evacuate people from low-lying areas in the event of heavy rain.

“The system (cyclone) will move in the sea around 200 km from Odisha coast,” weather scientist U S Dash said, adding that under its influence, light to moderate rainfall is likely at a few places in coastal Odisha on Monday and at many places over the next two days.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the wind speed over the Bay of Bengal will gradually increase to 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph by Tuesday morning.

He said there will be no direct impact of the likely cyclone on Odisha, but some Durga Puja pandals, which are not strong enough to withstand such wind speeds, could suffer damage.

Odisha received about 15 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours under the influence of the system. Light to moderate rain may continue in the coastal areas on Monday and Tuesday, the weather office said.

Heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) might occur at one or two places in Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur till 8.30 am on Tuesday, it said.

The IMD has also asked fishermen not to venture into west-central Bay of Bengal till Wednesday, and along and off the Odisha coast and north Bay of Bengal during Monday-Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring West Bengal, the Met department forecast thunderstorms with lightning and moderate rainfall in parts of Purba Medinipur, Kolkata and South 24 Parganas districts on Monday and Tuesday.

Light to moderate rainfall in some parts of the state dampened the festive mood of revellers on ‘Nabami’, though people were seen braving the weather with colourful umbrellas at various Durga Puja pandals.