Cyclone Sitrang may make landfall in Bangladesh: IMD

“Sitrang will be a severe cyclonic storm briefly during landfall for a few hours. It will then gradually dissipate,” said Ananda Kumar Das, in-charge of the weather office’s cyclone monitoring division.

Cyclone Sitrang gathered pace over Bay of Bengal on Sunday evening and will likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm on Monday, making landfall between Tinkona Island and Sandwip near Barisal in Bangladesh early morning on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department has warned.

Cyclone Sitrang may make landfall in Bangladesh: IMD

“Sitrang will be a severe cyclonic storm briefly during landfall for a few hours. It will then gradually dissipate,” said Ananda Kumar Das, in-charge of the weather office’s cyclone monitoring division. “Wind speeds of over 50 to 60 kmph and very heavy rain is likely over West Bengal coast during landfall, but more impact is likely over the Sundarban region, which is closer to the landfall point.”

Tidal waves of up to 5-6 metres are expected to inundate low lying areas of North and South 24 Parganas in West Bengal and coastal areas of Bangladesh at landfall, along with extremely high winds and heavy rainfall, the Met department said.

“We have issued heavy rain alert for three districts in West Bengal, which are South and North 24 Parganas and East Medinipur. In these areas, and some more parts of coastal West Bengal, wind speed will go up to 45 to 55 kmph on Monday,” said M Mohapatra, director general of IMD. “On Tuesday during landfall, wind speed can go up to 60 to 80 kmph in these districts and the entire Sundarban area.”

Cyclone Sitrang will be crossing the Bangladesh coast with wind speeds of up to 90-100 kmph, he said. “The cyclone is expected to be marginally severe. We are not expecting any further intensification,” Mohapatra added.

There could be damage to property and standing crops in West Bengal and the northeastern states, the weather bureau said. It has also warned of inundation and localized flooding in low lying areas and localised landslides and mudslides due to heavy rain. In West Bengal, the Met department has advised total suspension of fishing and asked people to remain in safe places.

For northeastern states, it has recommended people to be cautious, and avoid going near vulnerable structures. Regulation of offshore activities is advised from Sunday over Bay of Bengal along the West Bengal and Odisha coasts till Tuesday.

Sea surface temperature was around 29-30 degree Celsius over central and north Bay of Bengal, which favours the intensification of the cyclonic storm. “Most models are indicating likely intensification into a marginally severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours,” the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre said in a statement on Sunday. “The models are also indicating gradual north-northeastward recurvature of the system towards the Bangladesh coast... Cyclone Sitrang over central Bay of Bengal is likely to move north-northeastward during next 24 hours and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over northwest Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, it would continue to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip, close to Barisal.”

The chances of further intensification of Cyclone Sitrang is low, said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate change and meteorology at Skymet Weather Services, a private forecaster.

“This is because when Sitrang approaches the Bangladesh coast as a severe cyclone or a cyclone, northwesterly dry winds will enter the system and wind shear will also increase, which will not allow the cyclone to intensify any further,” Palawat said. “But coastal parts of West Bengal may see very strong winds of 70 to 80 kmph and heavy rainfall.”

The sea is likely to be very rough over west-central and adjoining east-central and north Bay of Bengal on Monday, with waves up to 6 to 9 metres.