Cyclone might cross Sagar Islands on Friday

BHUBANESWAR: The very severe cyclonic storm raging over the Bay of Bengal, christened 'Sidr' after a tree found in UAE, is likely to move in a northerly direction and cross the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast near the Sagar Islands by Friday, the Cyclone Warning Centre (CWC) said on Wednesday.

The system might hit the coast near Sagar Islands by Friday morning (November 16), CWC director Sarat Sahu said.

"It is likely to intensify further and move in a northerly direction," he said.

The system had moved in a northerly direction and lay centred over the east central and adjoining west central Bay at 8.30 am about 700 km south-south-east of Paradip this morning, Sahu said.

The likely impact would include rain and thundershowers at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places, particularly in coastal Orissa, which might commence from Thursday forenoon.

Besides, squally wind speed reaching 50 to 60 km per hour was likely along and off the Orissa coast commencing from the same period, he said.

Distant warning signal number two was hoisted at Paradip and Gopalpur ports as the sea condition would be rough to very rough. Fishermen had been advised against venturing into the sea, official sources said.