Cyclone brewing over Andaman Sea likely to hit West Bengal and Odisha coastal belt next week, alerts IMD

After cyclone Tauktae causing widespread destructions in the western coastal belt of India, the met department officials have alarmed about a cyclonic storm developing over the Gangetic West Bengal and is likely to make landfall on the eastern coast in the next two to three days.

This its second cyclonic storm forming over the Bay of Bengal this year named Yaas, given by Oman. Officials at the India Meteorological Department alerted that the low-pressure system is forming over the north Andaman Sea and adjoining East Central Bay of Bengal and can gather force in the next 48 to 72 hours to form a cyclonic storm before reaching Odisha or West Bengal by May 26 evening.

The Met office also forecasted light to moderate rainfall might starts from May 25th evening at most places with heavy rainfall at isolated places in the coastal districts of West Bengal like Sunderbans. The storm will significantly increase in spatial extension and intensity over the districts of the Gangetic plain with gusty winds traveling at a speed of 45-65 kmph over the Andaman Sea and adjoining aby of Bengal area. The wind can gain momentum from May 23rd onwards over major parts of Central Bay of Bengal, North Bay of Bengal, and over Odisha, West Bengal, and Bangladesh coasts between May 25th and 27th.

The report further alerted that the weather can rough to very rough over the Andaman Sea and Est Central Bay on May 23rd, over major parts of Central Bay of Bengal between May 24th to 26th and into North Bay of Bengal towards West Bengal coasts, Odisha, Bangladesh between May 25th and 27th.

The fishermen have been warned to not venture into the sea from May 21 onwards while those already at the sea need to return by May 23. The state government has directed heightened vigilance on the situation at Hingalgunj and Sandeshkhali sub-divisions. Leaves of several government employees in concerned departments have been canceled.

However, even with a cyclone forming at the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, the advancement of the Southwest monsoon is unlikely to be affected, the IMD said.