Cyclone 'Sitrang' likely to skirt Odisha coast, says IMD

Bhubaneswar, Oct 20 (IANS) In a major relief for Odisha, the India Meteorological Department on Thursday said that the anticipated cyclone to be called 'Sitrang' will skirt Odisha coast and move towards the West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts.

In a bulletin, the Bhubaneswar Centre of IMD said a low pressure area was formed over north Andaman Sea and adjoining areas of south Andaman Sea and southeast Bay of Bengal on Thursday morning.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a depression over east central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal around October 22 and into a deep depression on October 23.

Subsequently, the system is very likely to recurve northwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm over west-central and adjoining east central Bay of Bengal by October 24. Thereafter, it is likely to move gradually north-northeastwards and reach near West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts on October 25, skirting Odisha coast, said the Met centre.

The weather office has not issued any major weather warning till October 23 morning. However, rainfall activity associated with the system is very likely to commence from the early hours of October 24 over coastal districts of Odisha, it said.

Under its impact, heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) would occur at one or two places over the districts of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Puri on October 23 and in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khorda, and Puri on the next day.

As the sea condition is very likely to be rough to very rough, fishermen are advised not to venture into the deep sea area of central Bay of Bengal from October 23 along and off the Odisha coast till further notice. Fishermen who are in the deep sea have been advised to return to the coast by October 22.