According to weather bulletins, Cyclone Sitrang is all set to intensify into a severe storm by Monday evening.
On Monday at 8.30 am, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that Sitrang was located about 380 km south of Sagar Island in West Bengal and 520 km south-southwest of Barisal in Bangladesh.
IMD’s cyclone bulletin issued at 11.30 am said, “The cyclone will move north-northeastwards and intensify into a severe cyclone during the next 12 hours.”
As per the latest forecast, Sitarang will likely intensify into a cyclone sometime between Tincona Island and Sandwip near Barisal on Tuesday morning.
A ‘Yellow’ alert was sounded in Odisha’s Baleshwar, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jajpur districts on Monday with a warning of heavy rain (64.5 mm to 105.4 mm in 24 hours).
Heavy rain (64.5 mm to 105.4 mm in 24 hours) may occur in coastal districts of West Bengal on Tuesday. The IMD has issued an ‘Orange’ alert for 24 North and South Parganas, Nadia and Paschim Medinipur districts.
Heavy to hefty rainfall (105.5 mm to 200.4 mm in 24 hours) would occur over South Asa, East Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura on Monday. The IMD warned that rain of similar intensity would continue over the northeastern regions till October 26.