Cyclone Sitrang likely to make landfall in Bangladesh on Tuesday morning: IMD

The West Bengal government has started preparations as Cyclone Sitrang is expected to trigger heavy rain and winds gusting up to 110 km per hour in the coastal areas

Cyclone Sitrang is likely to make landfall in Bangladesh between Tinkona Island and Sandwip on Tuesday early morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday afternoon.

Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea and those who have already gone out have been advised to return. (Representative Image)

The low pressure, which developed over the north Andaman Sea and adjoining areas of south Andaman Sea and southeast Bay of Bengal on Friday, concentrated into a depression on Saturday and moved in a west-northwest direction.

At around 8.30am on Saturday it was spotted close to west of Andaman Islands near around 110 km north-northwest of Port Blair.

A senior official of the IMD’s regional office in Kolkata said on Saturday afternoon that the system is very likely to move in a northwest direction and intensify further into a Deep Depression over east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal by Sunday morning.

Gathering steam, it would then further strengthen into a cyclone by Monday morning and very likely recurve and move in the north-northeast direction.

“Thereafter, it would continue to move north-north-eastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip around the early morning of October 25,” said the official.

The West Bengal government has already started preparations as the cyclone is expected to trigger heavy rain and winds gusting up to 110 km per hour in the coastal areas.

Chief secretary HK Dwivedi held a meeting at the state secretariat on Friday with senior officials of south Bengal districts, which may bear the brunt of the cyclone, and top officials of various departments such as irrigation, power, police, health and agriculture among others.

“Preparations have already started. The cyclone and flood shelters are being readied. Essential items such as food, medicines and drinking water are being stored. Announcements were being made to warn fishermen not to venture into the sea and those who have already gone out have been advised to return,” said PK Maji, DM of East Midnapore, a coastal district.

On May 20, 2020, very severe cyclone ‘Amphan’ hit the West Bengal coast with wind-speed gusting up to 185 km per hour. On May 26, 2021, very severe cyclone Yaas hit the Odisha coast with wind speeds gusting up to 155 km per hour. It also inflicted widespread damage in West Bengal.

“Preparations are on in full swing. Apartment from the multi-storey flood and cyclone shelters, schools and college buildings are also being cleaned and stacked with essential items. The evacuation process would start from May 23. Announcements to make the people aware have started,” said Dipankar Halder, district disaster management officer of North 24 Parganas which has at least five blocks crisscrossed by rivers.

Preparations are also going on in Kolkata and the city’s mayor held a meeting on Friday. Road clearing and tree cutting machines along with water pumps were being readied and leaves of officers were cancelled.