Bangladesh braces for Cyclone Mora landfall

The cyclonic storm Mora finally formed in the east central Bay of Bengal and is now moving north northeastwards. The system is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours, with heavy to very heavy rains likely over north-east India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

According to the IMD's cyclone forecast track, the storm was moving at a speed of 19 kmph on Monday evening, and it is likely to make a landfall before noon on the eastern coast of Bangladesh, near Chittagong on Tuesday. Before landfall and after landfall wind speeds will be in the range of 100-150 kmph, the IMD said.

Following its landfall, the cyclone's intensity is expected to dissipate, and the storm will turn into a deep depression, and eventually a depression while crossing the north- eastern states of Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya and eventually Arunachal Pradesh. This will result in heavy to very heavy rainfall across the north-eastern states.

On May 21, 2016, Bangladesh had faced the fury of cyclone Roanu. It killed 26 people and destroyed homes on landfall near the southeastern coast. Nearly two million people had to be evacuated from their low-lying homes near the coast.

"Based on present conditions, the cyclone storm is likely to transform into a severe cyclonic storm and pass closer to the east coast of Bangladesh, near Chittagong. It will not make a landfall in India. We will only see heavy to very heavy rainfall in the range of 70-11 0mm as a result, and fishermen from Bengal have been warned not to venture into the sea due to squally winds," said Ganesh Kumar Das, Scientist, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD, Kolkata.

Das added, "Just after landfall, the pattern will change and moisture will decrease as it move close to the hills. Usually, when a cyclone makes a landfall, the eastern side of the eye of the storm is the worst affected." As a result of the storm, squally winds reaching speeds between 45 and 55 mph, and gusting up to 65 kmph, are likely to prevail over south Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura on May 30 and along and off the West Bengal coast, the IMD said.

Based on IMD's forecast, the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet ships were put on alert. The Navy said they were at the highest state of readiness to provide assistance. "INS Kirchand, INS Jalashwa from Eastern Command and INS Shardul from Southern Command were diverted on May 27 and May 28 respectively from sea, Vizag and Kochin, the statement said.

Storms usually develop over Bay of Bengal in the pre-monsoon months of April and May and during October and November, when their frequency increases. "Cyclone disturbances do develop during the progress of the monsoon and once they develop, they also amplify the monsoon," said M Mohapatra, Director General, National Weather Forecasting Centre.