STATE: The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Midhili’ on Friday (November 17) morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. IMD also put Tripura and Mizoram in Red Alert.
The cyclonic storm will be moving past the Sunderbans before making landfall on the Bangladesh coast with a maximum wind speed of 80 kmph during Friday night, it said.
“Deep Depression over Westcentral Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards and intensified into the cyclonic storm ‘Midhili’ (pronounced as ‘Midhili’) over Northwest Bay of Bengal in the morning (0530 hours IST) of today, the 17th November 2023. Continuing to move further north-northeastwards it lay centered at 0830 hours IST of today, the 17th November over Northwest and adjoining Northeast Bay of Bengal near latitude 20.8°N and longitude 89.0°E, about 250 km east-northeast of Paradip Odisha), 180 km east-southeast of Digha (West Bengal) and 180 km southwest of hepupara (Bangladesh),” the IMD said in its bulletin.
It added, “The cyclonic storm is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast close to Khepupara with wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph during November 17 night.”
Rainfall Warning By IMD:
- Light to moderate rainfall at many places with isolated heavy rainfall likely over coastal districts of West Bengal (North 24 Parganas) till the evening of November 17.
- Light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura on November 17 & 18 with extremely heavy fall at isolated places over Mizoram & Tripura on November 17.
- Light to moderate rainfall at many places with isolated heavy rainfall likely over south Assam and east Meghalaya on November 17 and 18.
Wind Warning By IMD:
- Along & off West Bengal Coast: Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph is prevailing and will continue till midnight of November 17 and decrease thereafter.
- Strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph is likely over Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and south Assam till November 18 evening.