Cyclonic Storm ‘Midhili’ to Make Landfall in Bangladesh
The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Friday intensified into a cyclonic storm, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting that it will graze past the Sunderbans before making landfall on the Bangladesh coast. The storm, named ‘Midhili’, is expected to bring maximum wind speeds of 80 kmph. The IMD bulletin indicates that it will cross the Bangladesh coast during the night of November 17 or in the early hours of November 18.
Track and Intensity of the Cyclonic Storm
The cyclonic storm is currently centered at 190 km east of Paradip (Odisha), 200 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal), and 220 km southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), according to the national weather agency. The IMD stated that ‘Midhili’ is likely to continue moving north-northeastwards and will cross the Bangladesh coast close to Khepupara with wind speeds of 60-70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph during the aforementioned time frame.
Impact and Precautionary Measures
Although the IMD forecasts that the cyclone ‘Midhili’ will have no major impact on Odisha as it passes above 150 kilometers from the state’s coast, some districts like Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur are expected to experience heavy rainfall. Consequently, the Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has put all the District Collectors on alert as a precautionary measure. Additionally, West Bengal’s coastal districts can anticipate rainfall ranging from 20 mm to 110 mm within 24 hours of Friday.
Naming and Previous Cyclone
The name ‘Midhili’ was given by the Maldives as per the rotational sequence followed by countries affected by Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal cyclones. Notably, this is the second deep depression during this season, with the previous cyclone ‘Hamoon’ also heading towards the Bangladesh coast.
For more information on the cyclonic storm ‘Midhili’, visit the India Meteorological Department (IMD) website.