Bulbul to intensify into Very Severe Cyclonic Storm; 'Orange Warning' for Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Nov 07: Bulbul intensified into Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS) on Thursday evening and is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm by Friday evening.

IMD prediction further says that Bulbul is very likely to move north-northwestwards towards West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts.

"(A)CS Bulbul intensified into a SCS at 1730 IST and lay centred about 510 km S-SE of Paradip. To intensify further in the next 24 hours. To move towards Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coast," IMD update at 8.45 pm on Thursday said.

IMD today issued forecast and warning for the next five days for Odisha. 'Orange Warning' has been issued for 9 and 10 november for districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur where heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to be expected at isolated places.

Odisha government has announced a two-day holiday for all schools in three coastal districts. IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra said that 'the cyclone is unlikely to hit Odisha coast and is moving towards West Bengal and Bangladesh coast. Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rainfall up to 204 mm will occur in north coastal districts of the state till November 10.

An earlier weather bulletin had said that the sea condition will be very rough over the east-central Bay of Bengal, and become very high to phenomenal thereafter over the central and adjoining northwest parts, it said in a bulletin.

Cyclone Bulbul will be the third cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this year after 'Pabuk' (January 2019) and 'Fani' (May 2019). In the Arabian Sea, four cyclones - Cyclone Vayu, Cyclone Hikka, Cyclone Kyarr and Cyclone Maha - formed in 2019.

Overall, Bulbul is the seventh cyclone of 2019 that will affect India.