New Delhi: The cyclonic storm “Mocha” pronounced as “Mokha” over the southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwards with a speed of 6 kmph during the past 06 hours, and lay centred over the same region near latitude 11.8°N and longitude 88.0°E, about 510 km west of Port Blair, 1140km southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1060 km south-southwest of Sittwe(Myanmar), at 1430 hours today.
“Mocha” is very likely to move nearly northwards and gradually intensify into a severe cyclonic storm around the evening of today, and further into a very severe cyclonic storm by the May 12, 2023, morning over the central Bay of Bengal.
Thereafter, it is likely to recurve gradually and move north-northeastwards with further intensification. “Mocha” is likely to cross southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar), close to Sittwe (Myanmar) around noon of May 14, 2023, as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 150-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph.
Heavy to very heavy rainfalls with squally winds are forecasted for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and south Assam for the next few days.
As per the latest India Meteorological Department bulletin of 1630 hours today, high sea condition was prevailing and likely to become “very high” from tonight and “phenomenal” from May 12 to the forenoon of May 14 in the east-central Bay of Bengal. It will improve thereafter, the IMD said.
The sea condition in the southeast Bay of Bengal was “very rough to high” today and will become “high to very high” tomorrow. On May 13, it will be “very rough to rough”, the IMD said. In the northeast of the Bay of Bengal, the sea condition will be “rough to very rough” tomorrow and “Phenomenal” on May 13 and 14, 2023.
The forecast of sea conditions over the north Andaman Sea for tomorrow and the day after was “very rough” to “rough”. In the adjoining areas of Westcentral Bay of Bengal, “very rough to high” sea condition was prevailing and was likely to become “very high” from midnight today and “phenomenal” from May 12 morning to May 13 morning. It will gradually improve thereafter. In the adjoining areas of Northwest Bay of Bengal, the sea condition will be “rough to very rough” during May 13 and 14.
While fishermen have been warned against venturing into the southeast Bay of Bengal, those over the central Bay of Bengal and north Andaman Sea have been advised to return to the coast.
– global bihari bureau
