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.
“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.
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.
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.