Bhubaneswar: Fishermen have been warned not to venture into sea in South East Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas from Sunday onwards in view of the likely formation of a cyclonic storm.
HR Biswas, Head of MeT Centre, Bhubaneswar has said the fishermen, small ships, boats and trawlers are advised not to venture into South East Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas from 7 May onwards and into adjoining Central Bay of Bengal from 9 May onwards.
Shri Biswas said there is likely formation of a cyclonic storm, squally weather with wind speed reaching 40 to 50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely to prevail over the southeast BoB and adjoining areas of Andaman Sea from 7 May and wind speed will gradually increase further over the areas.
So far information for tourist and travelers for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that bad weather condition like squally weather and heavy rainfall activity is likely over Andaman and Nicobar Islands during 8-11May and advised to regulate tourism and offshore activities and shipping over Andaman and Nicobar Islands during these days.
IMD in its Tropical Weather Outlook issued on Thursday said that IMD-GFS weather model indicates that the system may move towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast and intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm category.
The MeT Bhubaneswar has already informed that a cyclonic circulation is likely to develop over Southeast Bay of Bengal around 6 May. Under its influence, a low pressure area is likely to form over the same region around 7 May. It is likely to concentrate into a depression over South East Bay of Bengal on 8 May.
“Thereafter, it is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm while moving nearly northwards towards central Bay of Bengal. The cyclonic storm may take shape around 9 May”, said IMD sources.
The Model is indicating North-North Westwards movement till 10 May and North Eastwards re-curvature thereafter towards South East Bangladesh and adjoining Myanmar coasts, said he.
While the IMD is yet to issue any specific warning for Odisha, the State Government has already put District Magistrates all the Coastal and adjoining districts and officials of related Departments on the alert.
All cyclone-prone districts are kept in a state of readiness. District Administrations along with the NDRF, ODRAF, and others are in readiness for any possible eventuality, pointed out a senior officer of Special Relief Commissioner Office.
On 8 May, 2022 cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ had developed in the Bay of Bengal but later fizzled out and later crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast as a depression. The severe cyclonic storm ‘YAAS’ made landfall in Odisha’s Balasore district on the morning of 26 May, 2021, while Cyclone Amphan made landfall between the Sagar islands of West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of Bangladesh on the evening of 20 May, 2020.
The last storm forming in Bay of Bengal in April was ‘FANI’, which made landfall over the Odisha coast near Puri as an extremely severe cyclonic storm on 3 May, 2019. It severely affected several coastal districts including Capital City of Bhubaneswar.