Rainfall warning for Odisha, North-East as Cyclone Mora intensified in Bay of Bengal

Cyclone Mora, the first storm of its kind of the season, is knocking on the doors of Eastern India. However, like most such storms, this one too might just change its course towards Bangladesh, sparing Odisha, West Bengal and some North-Eastern states the carnage. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in a statement released at 8 am on Monday, May 29, said: "The cyclonic storm Mora over east-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastward during past six hours with a speed of 13 kmph and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST of today, May 29, 2017, over east-central Bay of Bengal near Latitude 17.0º N and Longitude 91.3º E, about 680 km south-southeast of Kolkata and 580 km south-southwest of Chittagong [Bangladesh]."

The Met department added: "The system is likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It is very likely to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between longitude 91.0º E and 92.0º E near Chittagong around May 30, 2017, forenoon."

Here is how the progression of the storm is projected to take place: 

Rainfall predictions

The IMD has predicted:

* Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Assam and Meghalaya on May 30.

* Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely over Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh on May 30.

* Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely over Assam and Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Other warnings

The IMD has also issued the following warnings: 

* Squally winds speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph would prevail along and off the Andaman Islands and adjoining sea areas during next 48 hours.

* Squally winds with speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph would prevail over South Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura on May 30 and along and off the West Bengal coast on May 29 and 30.

* Sea condition would be rough to very rough along and off the Andaman Islands during the next 48 hours and along and off the West Bengal Coast on May 30.

* Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off the Andaman Islands during the next 48 hours.

* Fishermen along and off the West Bengal Coast have been advised not to venture into sea on May 29 and 30, and those out at sea are advised to return to the coast.

Watch a video of the possible progression of Cyclone Mora, as predicted by the UK weatherman: