Cyclone Michaung Likely to Form Over Bay of Bengal In 48 Hours, 7 Odisha Districts On High Alert

On Tuesday, the Odisha government put seven coastal districts of the state on alert.

Cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ likely to form over Bay of Bengal in next 48 hours ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said that the low-pressure area over the South Andaman Sea and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal has transformed into a ‘well marked’ low-pressure area.

It is likely to intensify into a depression on Thursday (November 30) and eventually into a cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ over the Southwest and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal by December 2, according to the weather department.

“Yesterday’s Low Pressure Area over south Andaman Sea & adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal moved west northwestwards and lay as a Well Marked Low Pressure Area over Southeast Bay of Bengal & adjoining south Andaman Sea at 0830 hours IST of today, the 29th November, 2023,” IMD said.

Yesterday’s Low Pressure Area over the south Andaman Sea & adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards and lay as a Well Marked Low-Pressure Area over Southeast Bay of Bengal & adjoining South Andaman Sea at 0830 hours IST of today, the 29th November 2023.

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 29, 2023

“It is likely to move  west-northwestwards and intensify into a Depression over southeast Bay of Bengal on 30th November,  2  2023. Thereafter, it is likely to move northwestwards and intensify gradually into a Cyclonic Storm over  Southwest & adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal around 2nd December,” the weather department added.

On Tuesday, the Odisha government put seven coastal districts of the state on alert.

In a letter to the collectors of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts, Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahoo said that a low-pressure area over the South Andaman Sea is likely to intensify into a depression and later into a cyclonic storm, reported PTI.

Therefore, fishermen should be discouraged from venturing into the sea from the morning of December 1 and those who have gone to the sea should return by that date, said the letter, which was also sent to the Fisheries and Animal Resources Department.

Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre's Director HR Biswas said light to moderate rains and thundershowers are likely in some areas of Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Jagatsinghpur on December 3, according to PTI.

As the sea conditions are likely to be very rough, fishermen are advised not to venture out from December 1, he added.