Cyclone likely to miss Odisha-Andhra coast, set to change course on May 10

Bhubaneswar: There is little likelihood of the cyclonic storm that is forming on the Bay of Bengal of hitting either the Odisha or Andhra Pradesh coast as it is expected to re-curve and change path after May 10 evening, Meteorological department officials said.

Met officials in Bhubaneswar said the well-marked low pressure area over Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining South Andaman Sea is very likely to move north-westwards and intensify into a depression over during the next 3 hours and further into a cyclone over east-central Bay of Bengal on May 8.

"It is very likely to continue to move north-westwards till 10th May evening and reach west-central and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts. Thereafter, it is very likely to re-curve north-north-eastwards and move towards Northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast," said IMD officials.

The officials indicated there will be no landfall in Odisha or Andhra Pradesh. "After moving north-north-eastwards, the system will weaken in the sea. It may have the same intensity as Cyclone Jawad, which had formed over the Bay of Bengal in December last year but weakened into a deep depression and caused rainfall at Paradip," said senior scientist Uma Shankar Das.

According to Met department officials, on May 10, gales with wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph and gusting up to 100 kmph is likely to prevail over west-central and adjoining northwest and east-central Bay of Bengal. Squalls with wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph are likely over coastal districts of north Andhra Pradesh. On May 11, gales reaching 70-80 kmph speed and gusting to 90 kmph is likely to prevail over northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal. Squalls with wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph are likely over coastal districts of Odisha and adjoining coastal north Andhra Pradesh.

However, as a precautionary measure against the possible cyclonic storm, 175 specialised teams of Odisha Fire Services have been formed to deploy in the likely to be affected districts, said Fire Services chief DG Santosh Upadhyay. Each Special team has power saws, Combi Tools, Tower Lights and other rescue equipment with them.