Cyclone 'Sitrang' likely to be formed by October 24

A low-pressure area over the north Andaman sea that on Saturday intensified into a depression, around 1,460 km south-southeast of Sagar Island in West Bengal, is expected to take the shape of a cyclonic storm by October 24, the IMD said in its bulletin.

The weather system moved west-northwestward and concentrated into a depression on Saturday at 8.30am, close to west of Andaman Islands, the bulletin said.

'It is expected to move northwestward and intensify further into a deep depression over east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 23.

'The system is then very likely to re-curve gradually north-northeastwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm over central Bay of Bengal by October 24 morning,' the IMD stated.

Thereafter, it would continue to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast, between Tinkona Island and Sandwip, around October 25 morning, the IMD forecast said.

The name 'Sitrang' has been proposed for the possible cyclonic storm by Thailand.

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the deep sea area of central Bay of Bengal from Saturday, and along and off Odisha and Bengal coasts between October 23 and 26.

Both Bengal and Odisha are likely to experience fairly widespread rainfall due to the weather system.

According to Sanjib Bandopadhyay, the deputy director-general of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata, isolated places in North-24 Parganas and South-24 Parganas districts will get heavy to very heavy rainfall on October 24.

Paschim Medinipur may experience heavy showers on that day.

The following day, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas are likely to get heavy rainfall, Bandopadhyay said.

On both the days, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly may experience moderate rainfall, he maintained.

"Wind speed of 45 to 55 km gusting to 65 kmph is likely in the districts of South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas on October 24. The next day, the wind speed may reach 90 to 100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph, in these districts," Bandopadhyay stated.

Ferry services have been suspended in Sundarban area, he said.

Water-based sporting activities, too, have been put on hold in the beach towns of Mandarmoni and Digha, Bandopadhyay added.

In Bhubaneswar, the Regional Meteorological Centre issued heavy rainfall warning for the districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Cuttack, and Khurda.

The Odisha government has kept its men and machinery ready as the weatherman predicted heavy rainfall in the state's coastal districts, said Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena.

"We have put authorities of eight districts on high alert. The state is ready to face the challenge," Jena explained.

The SRC also said that the state government, as part of its preparedness, was in touch with different agencies such as the National Democratic Response Force, Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and Fire Services for rescue operations, if need be.

Jena added the cyclone was likely to go past Odisha coast, maintaining a distance of around 200 km from Dhamra Port.