The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted the formation of a cyclonic storm named “Cyclone Mocha” in the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas which is likely to make landfall on the eastern coast of India between May 7 and 9.
Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh have been put on an alert.
In its weather forecast bulletin on Friday afternoon, IMD said, a cyclonic circulation is likely to develop over the Southeast Bay of Bengal around Saturday and under its influence a low-pressure area is likely to form over the same region around May 7.
The low pressure is likely to concentrate into a depression over the Southeast Bay of Bengal around May 8. Thereafter, it is anticipated to intensify into a cyclonic storm while moving nearly northwards towards the central Bay of Bengal.
If the system developed into a cyclonic storm, it will be named Cyclone Mocha, recommended by Yemen, and originates from the Yemeni city Mocha (or Mokha) located on the Red Sea coast.
The naming of the cyclone was done as per the decree issued by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), which states that each cyclone must be named to avoid confusion in instances where multiple systems operate in one location.
Indian Met Office predicted light to moderate and with a gradual increase from heavy to very heavy rainfall at most places with isolated heavy rainfall over Andaman and Nocobar Islands from May 7 to 10.
Besides, the wind speed would gradually increase during May 8 and 9 and over Andaman and Nicobar Islands and north Andaman Sea from May 10 onwards. The wind speed would gradually increase becoming 60-70 kmph to 80 kmph over southeast and adjoining central Bay of Bengal from May 10 onwards.
Sea condition is likely to be rough on May 7 and turn very rough from May 8 onwards over the southeast Bay of Bengal. It is likely to be very rough to high over the southeast and adjoining central Bay of Bengal from May 8 onwards and high to very high from May 9 onwards.
Fishermen, small ships, boats and trawlers have been advised not to venture into the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas from May 7 onwards and into the adjoining central Bay of Bengal from May 9 onwards.
On May 8 last year, cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ developed in the Bay of Bengal but later fizzled out and later crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast of India as a depression. The severe cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ made landfall in Indian Odisha’s Balasore district on the morning of May 26, 2021, while Cyclone Amphan made landfall between the Sagar islands of India’s West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of Bangladesh on the evening of May 20, 2020.
