The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has advised fishermen not to travel into the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjacent areas beginning Sunday due to the possibility of a cyclonic storm. Fishermen, small ships, boats, and trawlers are urged not to enter into the southeast Bay of Bengal and nearby areas beginning May 7, and into the bordering central Bay of Bengal beginning May 9, news agency PTI reported.
Squally weather with wind speeds of 40 to 50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is predicted to persist over the southeast BoB and neighbouring parts of the Andaman sea beginning May 7, and wind speed would steadily rise over the areas, according to HR Biswas, Head & Scientist, MeT centre, Bhubaneswar.
The cyclone will be named Mocha (Mokha), a name suggested by Yemen after the Red Sea port city, which is popular for introducing coffee to the world over 500 years ago.
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In terms of tourist and travel information for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the IMD stated that bad weather conditions such as squally weather and heavy rainfall activity are likely over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during May 8-11, and it is advised to restrict tourism, offshore activities, and shipping over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during May 8-11.
Meanwhile, the IMD stated in its Tropical Weather Outlook released on Thursday that the system may travel towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast and strengthen into a very severe cyclonic storm category.
A low pressure area is expected to emerge over the Southeast Bay of Bengal under the influence of cyclonic storm around May 7. On May 8, it is expected to consolidate as a depression over the Southeast Bay of Bengal.
"Thereafter, it is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm while moving nearly northwards towards central Bay of Bengal. The cyclonic storm may take shape around May 9," the official was quoted by PTI in its report.
The IMD further stated that the model is forecasting a north-northwestward movement till May 10 and then a northeastward re-curvature approaching southeast Bangladesh and the neighbouring Myanmar beaches.
While the IMD has yet to issue a particular warning for Odisha, the government has already sent alerts to collectors in 18 coastal and adjacent districts, as well as officials from 11 departments.
All cyclone-prone regions are maintained ready at all times. District administrations, as well as the NDRF, ODRAF, and others, are prepared for any scenario.
On May 8, last year, cyclonic storm 'Asani' formed in the Bay of Bengal before dissipating and crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast as a depression. On the morning of May 26, 2021, the strong cyclonic storm 'Yaas' made landfall in Odisha's Balasore district, while Cyclone Amphan made landfall on the evening of May 20, 2020, between the Sagar islands of West Bengal and the Hatiya islands of Bangladesh.
The latest storm to form in the Bay of Bengal in April was 'Fani,' which made landfall as an exceptionally strong cyclonic storm over the Odisha coast near Puri on May 3, 2019.