Low pressure over Bay intensifies into Depression; 12 Odisha dists on alert

Bhubaneswar: Heavy rainfall and squally wind are on the cards for Odisha especially in northern districts as the well marked low pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified into depression early in the morning today. It may intensify into a cyclonic storm by today evening.

“The well marked low pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal concentrated into depression has formed over Southeast Bay of Bengal and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 16th May, 2020 near latitude 10.4°N and longitude 87.0°E, about 1100 km south of Paradip (Odisha),1250 km south of Digha (West Bengal) and 1330 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh). It is very likely to intensify rapidly into a Cyclonic Storm by today evening and further into a severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours,” said India Meteorological Department (IMD) in a release.

As per the IMD, the cyclonic storm is very likely to move north-northwestwards initially till May 17 and then re-curve north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal towards West Bengal coast during May 18 to 20.

Here’s forecast track given in the following table:

In view of likelihood of formation of cyclonic storm Amphan over the Bay of Bengal, Odisha Government has alerted 12 districts to be ready to take it as another challenge amid battle against COVID-19.

All coastal district collectors especially north Odisha collectors have been asked to closely monitor the situation.

Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy has discussed extensively with the district collectors of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Balasore and Bhadrak through video conferencing about the measures to be taken for the possible cyclone.

Warnings:

Rainfall:

Coastal Odisha is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall with heavy falls at isolated places from May 18 evening and heavy to very heavy rainfalls at a few places on May 19 and isolated heavy rainfall over northern Odisha coast on May 20.

Wind warning:

Squally wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely along and off Odisha coast from May 19 morning and along and off West Bengal coast from May 19 afternoon. The wind speed will gradually increase becoming gale wind speed reaching 65 to 75 kmph from May 20 morning along and off north Odisha and West Bengal coast. It will gradually increase thereafter.

Sea condition:

The sea condition will be rough to very rough over south and adjoining central Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea till May 16 afternoon. It will be high over southwest and adjoining central Bay of Bengal from the May 16 evening, very high over the same region from May 17 morning. It will
become phenomenal over southern parts of central Bay of Bengal on May 18, over northern parts of central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Bay of Bengal on May 19 and over north Bay of Bengal on May 20.

Fishermen warning:

The fishermen are advised not to venture into south Bay of Bengal from May 16 to 19, to central Bay of Bengal from May 17 to 18 and north Bay of Bengal during May 19 to 20. Also, the fishermen are advised not to venture into north Bay of Bengal along and off North Odisha, West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh coast during May 18 to 20.

Here’s path of possible cyclonic storm Amphan: