Cyclone Phethai likely to make landfall today, heavy rain forecast in Bengal

Cyclone 'Phethai' is likely to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh Monday afternoon and then move in a northeasterly direction along the coast, Met officials said.

Four districts in South Odisha have been experiencing rain since Sunday evening due to the cyclone, while Gangetic West Bengal is likely to experience heavy rain till Tuesday morning, the meteorological (Met) department said.

The cyclone is likely to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh in the afternoon and thereafter move in a northeasterly direction along the coast, it said.

Phethai, that lay centred 480 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam and 510 km from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross the Bay of Bengal coast around Kakinada on Monday afternoon, the Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) had said Sunday.

South Odisha districts such as Koraput, Malkangiri, Raigada and Gajapati have been experiencing rainfall along with strong surface wind since Sunday evening, the officials said.

The system is likely to cause widespread rain in all districts of Gangetic West Bengal, with heavy rain in one or two places till Tuesday morning, the Met department said.

Kolkata, which has had an overcast sky since Sunday with intermittent drizzles, is likely to experience light to moderate rain, it said.

In West Bengal, heavy rain is likely to occur over one or two places in Howrah, East and West Midnapore, Purulia, Bankura, West Burdwan, Jhargram and Hooghly district on Monday.

Strong wind, with speeds reaching 30 to 40 km per hour is likely to blow over northwest Bay of Bengal, the Met said in its forecast.

Many places in Odisha such as Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Baragarh, Balangir, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur districts would experience heavy rainfall on Monday, the department said.

It also forecast light to moderate rainfall and thundershower in many places, mainly south Odisha districts, till December 18.

The Odisha government has already asked district collectors to take steps to protect paddy from the unseasonal rain.

Fishermen were advised not to venture into deep sea areas of west central and adjoining south west Bay of Bengal till Monday, it said.