‘Cyclone Mocha’ To Form Over Bay of Bengal Today, IMD Issues Rain Alert in NE

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday has issued rainfall warnings at isolated places in Assam along with other parts of Northeast on May 13 and May 14, 2023.

This comes after a depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 05 km/ph during past 06 hours, intensified into a Deep Depression and lay centered at 05:30 hours on Wednesday, over the same region near latitude 8.5°N and longitude 89.0.°E, about 540 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 1460 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1350 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar).

The IMD in its report has claimed that the deep depression is very likely to move northwestwards for some time and then north-northwestwards and intensify gradually into a cyclonic storm (Mocha) over the same region around today evening. Then continuing to move north-northwestwards, it will gradually intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by May 11 morning and very severe cyclonic storm by May 12 morning over southeast and adjoining central Bay of Bengal.

Thereafter, it is likely to recurve gradually, move north-northeastwards and weaken slightly from May 13 and cross southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar) around forenoon of May 14, 2023 with maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kmph gusting to 130 kmph.

Meanwhile, Fishermen, ships, boats and trawlers are advised not to venture into the southeast Bay of Bengal and south Andaman Sea till May 11, central Bay of Bengal and north Andaman Sea till May 14 morning, and into northeast Bay of Bengal from May 12-14.

Update:

The deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 07 kmph during the past 06 hours and lay centered at 08:30 hours IST of today over the same region near latitude 8.8°N and longitude 88.9°E, about 530 km southwest of Port Blair, 1430 km south of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1320 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar).

Also Read: Cyclonic Circulation Likely to Develop Over Southeast Bay of Bengal, Is NE Safe?