Bengal, Odisha Brace as 'Sitrang' Appears Likely to Become 'Severe Cyclonic Storm'
Kolkata: The deep depression over Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone on the evening of Sunday, October 23, and is very likely to gather further strength and become a severe cyclonic storm today before crossing the Bangladesh coast on the morning of October 25, the Met Office has said.
The cyclone, named Sitrang by Thailand, is very likely to have wind speed reaching 90 to 100 kilometres per hour gusting to 110 kmph, the India Meteorological Department also said.
It is likely to cause heavy to very heavy rain in the coastal districts of West Bengal and isolated heavy rain in north coastal Odisha.
Cyclonic storm “SITRANG” near lat 17.00N & long 88.30E, about 520 km south of Sagar Island and 670 km south-southwest of Barisal (Bangladesh). To move north-northeastwards and intensify further into a SCS in next 12 hrs. To cross Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island & Sandwip pic.twitter.com/CWANKg5AP0
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 23, 2022
At 5.30 pm on Sunday, the cyclone was 580 km south of Sagar Island in West Bengal and 740 km south-southwest of Barisal in Bangladesh, it said.
It will mainly affect the Sunderbans spread over West Bengal and Bangladesh as tidal waves are likely to reach a height of six metres owing to the twin effect of the weather system and new moon, deputy director-general of the Regional Met Centre in Kolkata Sanjib Bandopadhyay said.
After changing course in a northeastward direction from northwest-bound, the system will reach north Bay of Bengal before making landfall between Tinkona island and Sandwip close to Barisal in Bangladesh in the early morning of Tuesday.
West Bengal | Preparations underway in view of cyclonic storm 'Sitrang' in South 24 Parganas; security forces deployed along river banks pic.twitter.com/I2ZHh1DRBy
— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2022
Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly are likely to receive moderate rain on Monday and Tuesday while heavy rain will occur in North and South 24 Parganas and Nadia districts on Tuesday.
"The main affected area will be the Sunderbans in the coastal areas of North and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal and in Bangladesh," the Met office said.
Bandopadhyay said that the heavy rain and wind gusting up to 100 kmph and high tidal waves could cause damage to kutcha embankments and roads, disruption of power and communication lines and damage to kutcha houses.
The high astronomical tide on the new moon may lead to seawater inundation of low-lying areas in these places.
Safety measures
South 24 Parganas' district magistrate Sumit Gupta said that already 10,000 people in the district have been moved to safer places, and work is on to shift another 30,000 people.
Seven teams of NDRF and SDRF with 26 personnel in each team were on standby in the district, he said.
The administration is also ensuring the safety of domestic animals, Gupta said.
A Kolkata Municipal Corporation official said it has initiated steps to tackle any situation that may emerge owing to Sitrang in the metropolis, including keeping all pumping stations fully active and making arrangements for shifting residents of dilapidated buildings to schools and community halls.
The weather office has advised suspension of ferry services in Sunderbans and water-bound tourist activities at the seaside resort towns of Digha, Mandarmoni, Shankarpur, Bakkhali and Sagar on October 24 and 25.
Odisha
In Odisha, heavy rains are likely to lash certain places in the coastal districts of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Puri till 8.30 am on Monday.
A yellow warning of heavy rainfall was issued for Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, and Cuttack till Tuesday morning.
The Ganjam district administration has restricted entry of tourists to the Gopalpur beach.
"The restriction was imposed as people in large numbers thronged the beach on Sunday evening despite a cyclone warning," said a senior official.
The IMD also advised hoisting of Local Cautionary Signal Number Three (LC-III) at all ports of Odisha, denoting squally weather for ships.
(With PTI inputs)
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