BHUBANESWAR: Odisha may well be spared by the cyclone brewing in the Bay of Bengal as the weather system is expected to skirt the State and move over to West Bengal-Bangladesh borders. The relief came after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the tropical storm is likely to reach WB-Bangladesh coasts by Tuesday (October 25).
However, many parts of Odisha will receive heavy rainfall Monday onwards under influence of this season’s second tropical storm. The Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said the cyclone, once its forms over Bay of Bengal, will trigger heavy rainfall in coastal and interior districts. Heavy showers will continue from Monday to Wednesday, said Director HR Biswas.
“We are constantly monitoring the system and whether it will intensify further will be ascertained within next two days,” he said. Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Puri districts have been alerted for rainfall.
On Thursday, the low pressure formed over north Andaman Sea. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a depression by Saturday over east-central and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal and then a deep depression on Sunday.
Thereafter, the system may re-curve northwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm over west-central and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal by Monday (October 24).
Odisha may be spared by cyclone, butrains in store
The storm will gradually move north-northeastwards and reach near West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts on Tuesday, the IMD said. The regional Met office said wind reaching a speed of 45 km to 55 km per hour will prevail along and off Odisha coast from Sunday onwards. The fishermen have been advised to not venture into sea during the period till further instructions.
According to IMD, cyclones developing over Bay of Bengal more often strike Odisha-West Bengal coast in October, Andhra Pradesh coast in November and the Tamil Nadu coast in December.