Heavy rain likely in Bengal, Odisha as cyclone Midhili intensifies
What's the story
The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Friday morning has intensified into a cyclonic storm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The weather office forecast that the cyclonic storm named Midhili would be moving past the Sunderbans before making landfall on the coast of Bangladesh on Friday night or in the early hours of Saturday.
Details
Heavy rainfall expected in Odisha and West Bengal
The IMD has predicted heavy rains in West Bengal's coastal districts, including South and North 24 Parganas, East Medinpur, Kolkata, and Howrah, over the next 24 hours due to the cyclonic storm. Some districts in Odisha, such as Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara, are also set to receive heavy downpours due to Cyclone Midhili. Light to moderate rain is expected in northeastern states like Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura on Friday and Saturday.
Twitter Post
Check out IMD's forecast on Cyclone Midhili
Deep Depression over NW Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm “Midhili” (pronounced as “Midhili”). It lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of 17th Nov over Northwest BoB about 190km E of Paradip(Odisha), 200km S-SE of Digha(West Bengal) and 220km SW of Khepupara(Bangladesh). pic.twitter.com/dD3CXMJJUd
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 17, 2023
What Next?
Bay of Bengal's second cyclone since October
The Maldives has suggested the name Midhili, which stands for huge tree, according to the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Maldives in Kolkata. This would also be the Bay of Bengal's second cyclone in less than a month, following Cyclone Hamoon, which hit Bangladesh in October with winds of up to 104 kmph. Hamoon also forced nearly three lakh people to evacuate after it hit the country's southern parts, killing two people.