New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the possible Cyclone Sitarang in the Bay of Bengal is expected to reach West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts by October 25 i.e. after Diwali. The IMD said in a statement that a low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal on Thursday (October 20) and is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm on October 24.

The low pressure area is forecast to move west-northwestwards and develop into a depression over east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal around October 22. According to the guidelines of the World Meteorological Department (WMO), Thailand has named this cyclone Sitarang. It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm over the west-central and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal by October 24. Thereafter, it is expected to move gradually north-eastwards and cross Odisha and reach the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast by October 25.

Director General of the Meteorological Department Mrityunjay Mohapatra has given this information to the media. However, he said that the IMD has not yet made any forecast on the possible heavy rainfall, intensity and wind speed of the cyclone. Between 1891 and 2021, 15 cyclones have crossed the Odisha coast so far in the month of October. The most intense supercyclone in the history of the Bay of Bengal in October was formed in 1999.

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