Mocha To Intensify Into A Very Severe Cyclone As It Heads Towards Bangladesh-Myanmar Coast

Cyclone Mocha, the first summer cyclone in the Bay of Bengal in 2023, is picking up intensity and is set to strengthen further as it heads towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast, where it is expected to make landfall on Sunday.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Mocha intensified into a severe cyclonic storm by midnight on Thursday.

AFP

What is Cyclone Mocha?

The weather office said Cyclone Mocha (pronounced Mokha), named by Yemen after its Red Sea port city, will further intensify on Friday and re-curve north-northeastwards for a Sunday landfall between Cox's Bazaar and Kyaukpyu, close to port city Sittwe in Myanmar, packing winds of 175 kmph.

"The deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 8 kmph during past 6 hours, intensified into a cyclonic storm "Mocha" pronounced as "Mokha" and lay centred at 0530 hours IST of 11th May 2023 over the same region near latitude 11.2¡ãN and longitude 88.1¡ãE, about 510 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 1210 km south-southwest of Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1120 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar)," an official statement said.

WINDY MAPS

Relief for India

This is a relief for states on the eastern coast, including Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, as they are not on the path of Cyclone Mocha.

The IMD said on Wednesday that cyclone Mocha over the Bay of Bengal will not have any impact on the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coasts.

In West Bengal, it is expected to result in heavy rains and rough seas.

BCCL

Coast Guard, NDRF on alert

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units have been placed on high alert as the cyclone approaches land.

Cyclone Mocha will convert into a severe storm on May 12 & a very severe cyclone on May 14, as per the predictions. We have deployed 8 teams. 200 rescuers of NDRF deployed on the ground and 100 rescuers on standby," Gurminder Singh, Commandant, 2nd Battalion, NDRF, told ANI.

BCCL

ICG has also issued an official statement that its units have been placed on high alert amid the warning of the IMD for cyclonic storm Mocha. The statement said that the ICG is geared up for response to the cyclonic storm as indicated by IMD and the update had been shared with the fisheries and civil administration.

As the seas are expected to remain turbulent, accompanied by heavy rains and strong winds, the fishermen have been advised not to venture out.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.