Shillong, May 12: Cyclone Mocha has become a very strong cyclonic storm in Bay of Bengal, according to a warning from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday.
The cyclone is forecast to intensify further and move further towards northeast, according to the weather service.
Between Cox Bazar in Bangladesh and Kyaukpyu in Myanmar, near to Sittwe, it is projected to pass the southeast Bangladeshi and northern Myanmar shores as a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 150–160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph, according to IMD.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has eight teams on the ground in West Bengal in wake of the cyclone. According to forecasts, Cyclone Mocha would intensify into a severe storm on May 12 and a very severe cyclone on May 14, according to NDRF 2nd Battalion Commandant Gurminder Singh 8 teams including 200 NDRF rescuers have been sent on the scene and 100 more are waiting.
In light of cyclone Mocha, the weather service on Thursday issued rainfall alerts for a number of northeastern states as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Due to the cyclone’s progress over the middle Bay of Bengal, these places are anticipated to see significant rainfall.
According to the IMD, the cyclone which is named ‘Mocha’ after a small town in Yemen, is predicted to have a maximum sustained wind speed of 150–160 kmph with gusts up to 175 kmph.