NEW DELHI: The deep depression formed over the Bay of Bengal may intensify into a cyclone by Monday evening, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.
It is likely to make landfall in the eastern coastal region including West Bengal and Odisha and bring rain.
A depression formed in Bay of Bengal during the intervening night of October 20 and 21, and began moving in the northeast direction. Now, it is 700 km away from West Bengal’s Digha.
The IMD said the depression will turn into deep depression with intensified windspeed, increasing the possibility of a marginal cyclone.
“In the next 72 hours, the cyclonic system will be over the sea level and we are yet to locate its landfall,” said Mrutyujay Mohapatra, director general (meteorology), IMD. “Right now, our forecast shows that it will recurve towards Bangladesh and adjoining coastal areas of West Bengal,” he added.
Under the influence of this cyclonic system, the coastal areas of West Bengal, Odisha, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and other northeastern states will experience light to moderate rainfall till October 25.
The IMD advisory said that rough to very rough sea conditions are prevailing and will continue till October 25. “Fisherfolk are advised not to venture into Bay of Bengal between October 23 and 26. Those out at sea must return to the coast,” it said.
Keeping in view of the weather conditions, Durga Puja organisers are preparing for possible rain and wind during the festivities.
The squall wind speed in Odisha and West Bengal coasts can increase up to 80 kmph on October 23-26. If this system intensifies into a cyclone, it will be called 'Hamoon', a name given by Iran.
According to the Sunday evening bulletin of IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre, light to moderate rainfall would occur at a few places over the coastal districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri for 24 hours from 8.30 am on Monday.
Similarly, northern and southern coastal districts, along with Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Dhenkanal would experience light to moderate rainfall for 24 hours from 8.30 am on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, an extremely severe cyclonic storm, Tej, in the Arabian Sea is likely to move northwest and cross Yemen-Oman coasts around noon of October 24.
The IMD said. “The cyclonic storm is predicted to move northwestwards and cross the coasts between Al Ghaidah (Yemen) and Salalah (Oman), close to the east of Al Ghaidah around noon on October 24 as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speed of 115-125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph,” it said.
“The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Tej’ intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and lay centred about 160 km near Socotra (Yemen), on Sunday,” IMD said.
Depressions and cyclones are classified based on the wind speed.
A low-pressure area is declared as a depression if the wind speed is 31-49 kmph, followed by a deep depression with 50-61 kmph and a cyclonic storm with 62-88 kmph.
It is further categorised as severe, very severe, extremely severe and finally, super cyclone.