Depression over Bay of Bengal may intensify into cylonic storm, warns MeT dept

Bhubaneswar, Nov 05: A fresh low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday, the Meteorological Centre here said. It is likely to further intensify into a cyclonic storm on Wednesday, the MeT Centre said.

"The depression lay centred over east-central and adjoining south-eastern Bay of Bengal and north Andaman Sea, about 950 km south-southeast of Paradip in Odisha," Director of Bhubaneswar MeT Centre, H R Biswas said. It is likely to intensify into a deep depression shortly and then into a cyclonic storm on Wednesday, Biswas said.

"The cyclonic storm may move west-northwestwards initially and then north-northwestwards, towards Odisha-West Bengal coasts," he said. The likelihood of a cyclonic storm over Odisha comes barely six months after the cyclone Fani devastated coastal areas of the state on May 3, claiming around 64 lives and leaving many without shelter.

The warning comes a fortnight after six people were killed in the rain that battered the state under the impact of a low-pressure area. Under the impact of the fresh depression, several parts of coastal Odisha are expected to receive rain from November 8 which is likely to intensify, the MeT Centre said.

"We are constantly monitoring the movement and direction of the depression. At present, a clear picture about its possible impact is yet to emerge," a MeT official said. As sea conditions will be rough and there will be high-velocity winds, fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep seas till further notice.