Cyclone Midhili likely to cross Bangladesh coast, bring rain in Odisha, Bengal: IMD

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours and cross the Bangladesh coast, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The weather office said the deep depression will continue to move north-northeastwards at a speed of 17 kmph. Once it becomes a cyclonic storm, it will be named Cyclone Midhili — a name suggested by the Maldives. Cyclone Midhili is expected to make landfall between Khepupara and Mongla in Bangladesh on Saturday morning.

The weather system lay centred around 390 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and 320 km south-southeast of Paradip in Odisha at 8.30 am on Thursday, the IMD said in its bulletin.

"It is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards, intensify further into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours and cross the Bangladesh coast between Mongla and Khepupara with a wind speed of 60-70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph by the early hours of Saturday," it



said.

Under its influence, many parts of Odisha, particularly the coastal region, will experience heavy rainfall, with wind blowing between 40 kmph and 70 kmph, an IMD official told news agency PTI.

Light to moderate rainfall in many places with isolated heavy rainfall is likely over coastal districts of West Bengal on Thursday and Friday and over coastal districts of north Odisha on Thursday, the IMD said.

Light to moderate rainfall in many places with isolated heavy rainfall is possible over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura from Thursday to Saturday. Similar activity is expected in south Assam and east Meghalaya on Friday and Saturday.

Fishermen were advised against venturing into deep seas till Saturday as sea conditions will remain rough during the period.

"Guidance from various numerical models is indicating north-northeastwards movement towards the Bangladesh coast. Peak intensification is suggested up to marginal cyclone stage," the IMD bulletin said.