Odisha, which has a history of cyclonic strikes in October-November, braces for yet another cyclonic circulation even as the state government on Sunday issued directions to the district officials in vulnerable pockets to stay in preparedness to successfully tackle exigencies of the situation.

A cyclonic disturbance likely to develop over the Bay of Bengal may affect the Odisha coast on 23-25 October, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in the latest weather update said on Sunday.

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The coastal state faces severe cyclonic storms in October and November, sometimes even till December 15. This two-and-a-half month is considered the “cyclone season” in the state.

The cyclone warning during October last week is a grim reminder of the catastrophic Nature’s fury that scripted the cataclysmic aftermaths of 29-30 October 1999 super-cyclone.

The super cyclone had impounded the coast with a wind velocity of 270 kilometer per hour to 300 kmph, killing more than 10,000 people mostly in the seaside villages of Jagatsinghpur district. There was a gross absence of an early warning system then. The post-disaster rescue operation mechanism had been found wanting then, resulting in the loss of precious human lives.

“Yesterday’s upper air cyclonic circulation over central Andaman Sea lay over North Andaman Sea in the early morning (0530 hours IST) and persisted over the same region in the forenoon (0830 hrs IST) of today, the 20th October 2024. Under its influence, a Low-Pressure Area is very likely to form over the East Central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea during next 24 hours”, IMD bulletin stated.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression by the 22 October morning and into a cyclonic storm by the 23rd of October 2024 over the East-central Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, it is very likely to move northwestwards and reach the northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts by the 24th of October morning, said IMD.

The cyclonic intensity will continuously increase and the maximum intensity forecast today will be about 100-120 km wind speed per hour over the North Bay of Bengal on 24 October. Under its influence, sea conditions are presently rough and it will become rough to very rough over central Bay of Bengal from 21 to 24 October. On 23 and 24, there will be high sea conditions. Over the North Bay of Bengal, it will become rough to very rough on the 23rd and very rough to high sea conditions on the 24th and 25th of October, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said on Sunday.

These rough to high sea conditions and wind speed with a maximum velocity of 120 km per hour will be dangerous for the shipping community, fishermen, on-shore and off-shore industries, It is also dangerous for tourists traveling to Andaman during the period till 21st October. Tourists should not venture into the sea in Andaman during this period, he said.

The rainfall will commence along coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal from 23rd October. The rainfall will increase on the 24th and 25th October. The rainfall could lead to landslides localised flooding and watery inundation. The wind speed could cause damage to structures, uprooting of trees, and damage to power and communication networks. IMD has issued a pre-cyclone watch for Odisha and West Bengal.

In view of the cyclonic disturbance, IMD has advised the marine fishermen not to venture into deep sea areas of the central Bay of Bengal from 21 to 26 October, he added.