New Delhi: A cyclonic storm is forming in the Bay of Bengal and is expected to cause heavy to very heavy rainfall, along with gusty winds, in several states of eastern and southern India over the weekend.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a deep depression by Friday night and further into a cyclonic storm by Saturday morning.
The cyclonic storm, named Jawad, is likely to move northwestwards and reach the west-central Bay of Bengal, off north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts by Saturday morning. It is then expected to re-curve north-northeastwards and cross the West Bengal coast between Sagar Island and Digha by Sunday evening.
The IMD issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal Odisha and West Bengal on Sunday. It has also issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Bihar and Sikkim on Saturday and Sunday.
The other states that are likely to receive rainfall due to the cyclonic storm are Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Assam.
The IMD has also warned of squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph along and off Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal coasts from Saturday morning. The wind speed may increase gradually becoming 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph along and off Odisha coast and 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph along and off West Bengal coast from Sunday morning.
The sea condition will be rough to very rough over the central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal from Saturday morning and high to very high from Sunday morning. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off these coasts till Sunday.
The IMD has also cautioned against possible damage to thatched huts, power and communication lines, roads, crops and coastal erosion in the affected areas. It has advised people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
The Indian Coast Guard has initiated pre-emptive actions for the safety of life and property at sea. It has deployed its ships and aircraft to relay weather warnings to mariners and fishermen. It has also coordinated with the state authorities for the evacuation of people from low-lying areas.
The West Bengal government has decided to deploy two teams each of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in the coastal districts. It has also restricted tourist movement and water sports activities at sea beaches.
This is the second cyclonic storm to form in the Bay of Bengal this year after Yaas, which hit the Odisha-West Bengal coast in May.
