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New Delhi: The deep pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Mocha’ on Wednesday night and is likely to cause rain between Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh and Sittwe in Myanmar. Officials gave this information on Thursday morning.
Officials said that there is a possibility of heavy rains in Andaman due to ‘Mocha’. The India Meteorological Department said that the cyclonic storm was 510 km southwest of Port Blair at 8.30 am. He told that this storm is expected to turn into a severe cyclonic storm tonight.
According to IMD, at 5:30 pm, the cyclonic storm will lie over southeast Bay of Bengal, about 520 km west of Port Blair and 1,100 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar. Cyclone Mokha will intensify further on Friday and make landfall on Sunday between Cox’s Bazar and Kyaukpyu, near the port city of Sittwe in Myanmar, the meteorological office said. Due to this, winds are expected to blow at a speed of 175 kilometers per hour.
The SCS “Mocha” lay centered at 0230 hours IST of 12th May 2023 over Southeast adjoining Central Bay of Bengal about 520 km west-northwest of Port Blair. pic.twitter.com/RUHLs9MFSx
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 11, 2023
The Meteorological Office has advised fishermen, ships, boats and trawlers not to venture into central and northeast Bay of Bengal and North Andaman Sea till Sunday. Those sailing in the central Bay of Bengal and North Andaman Sea have been advised to return to the coast. The IMD has predicted waves of 1.5-2 meters high for the low-lying coastal area of Bangladesh near Cox’s Bazar.
Due to the cyclonic storm, there is a possibility of heavy rains in Tripura and Mizoram from Saturday. Apart from this, there is a possibility of rain at many places in Nagaland, Manipur and South Assam on Sunday.
Mocha will reach the peak
The department said, “It will reach its peak in the evening of May 13 and then it is likely to weaken slightly from the morning of May 14.”
The department said that the storm is likely to cross the coasts of southeast Bangladesh and northern Myanmar between Cox’s Bazar and Kyokpuy at a speed of 120-130 kmph.
Landslide warning has been issued in Mizoram, Tripura and South Manipur. Due to heavy rains, cracks have appeared in the unpaved road. Small trees have been uprooted. Banana, papaya and standing crops have been damaged.
Cyclone Mocha
The cyclone has been named Mocha (Mokha), a name suggested by Yemen after the Red Sea port city, which is known to have introduced coffee to the world over 500 years ago. The weather office has suggested regulation of tourism and offshore activities and shipping near Andaman and Nicobar Islands and over the sea areas of southeast and central Bay of Bengal till Friday (May 12).
