A cyclone named ‘Kyant’, nearly of the October 29, 1999 Super Cyclone intensity, is likely to hit the northern Odisha coast on October 28 as a depression formed over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a ‘deep depression’ and the system is likely to intensify further.
The weather system is likely to skid past the coast of Myanmar by tonight or early tomorrow morning gaining strength from the decreasing low wind shear ultimately forming into a cyclonic storm.
After skidding past the Myanmar coast, the system would initially move in a north-northwesterly direction and then move in a northwesterly direction marching towards Indian landmass.
The warm sea temperature and further decrease in wind shear would provide the weather system a more rigorous shape. The expected cyclone is likely to hit northern Odisha coast on October 28, informed the Skymet Weather.
By the impact of the storm, a flood-like situation would occur in Myanmar, said the Skymet Weather.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) also said the depression would take shape of a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours.
“Deep depression lays centred at about 950 km east-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha. The system is most likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours. The cyclone may re-curve from the Myanmar coast. The model indicates that it would move towards northwest Bay of Bengal.
The impact of the cyclonic storm on Odisha could be known around October 26-27. It is likely to have impact on central and north Odisha,” said Bhubaneswar MET Director Sarat Chandra Sahu.
The weatherman has hoisted a warning to fishermen to be cautious while venturing into interior or distant sea along the Odisha coast.
Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner Pradipta Mohapatra said the effect of storm would be felt in Odisha October 26 and 27. He said the exact impact would be known on Monday night. He urged farmers to shift the harvested paddy plants to safety.
However, he asked people not to panic, stating that the Government is fully prepared to tackle any kind of eventuality.
It might be noted that the 1999 Super Cyclone and the Cyclone Phailin had struck in the month of October and wreaked havoc in Odisha.