Cyclone brewing over Bay of Bengal due to deep depression

Bhubaneswar: The depression over the Bay of Bengal has turned into a deep depression on Wednesday and is set to intensify into a cyclone, an IMD official said.

As it is likely to trigger widespread rainfall, the Odisha government has already put 15 of the state’s 30 districts on alert asking them to remain prepared for possible flood-like situation and waterlogging, a state government official said.

The deep depression lay centred over east-central and adjacent southeast Bay of Bengal, about 810 km south-southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 920 km south-southeast of Sagar Islands in West Bengal

The system was around 960 km south-southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh, said Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, HR Biswas.

“It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours and move west-northwestwards for some more time,” he said.

Thereafter, it is likely to move north-northwestwards, towards West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts, Biswas said.

According to IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, chances of the cyclonic storm hitting the Odisha coast are very low.

The system is being closely monitored to ascertain the exact direction the cyclonic storm will take and possible location of its landfall, he said.

With IMD predicting widespread rainfall, Odisha government on Tuesday alerted the administration in several districts asking them to remain prepared.