Severe cyclone forming in Bay of Bengal to make landfall on Sunday midnight

A depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to concentrate into a severe cyclonic storm and make landfall between Sagar island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh around May 26 midnight, bringing heavy rain in the coastal districts of the state, the Met department said on Friday.

The system, which lies over central Bay of Bengal, about 810 km south of West Bengal's Canning, is likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm by May 25 morning, the Met said.

Moving in a northward direction, the system will further concentrate into a severe cyclonic storm by May 25 evening, the weather office said.

The severe cyclonic storm is very likely to cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Sagar island and Khepupara around midnight of May 26, it said.

The weather system will bring heavy to very heavy rain in the coastal districts of West Bengal on May 26 and 27, the Met said.

The Met office warned of heavy to very heavy rain on May 26 and 27 in Kolkata, South and North 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur and Howrah districts.

It warned of gusty wind reaching 90 to 100 kmph in South 24 Parganas, 80 to 90 kmph in Purba Medinipur on these days, while in Kolkata, North 24 Parganas and Howrah it will reach 60 to 70 kmph.

The weather office warned fishermen not to venture into the sea in north Bay of Bengal till May 27 morning.

The IMD said that light to moderate rain and thundershower are likely to lash north and south Odisha from May 25 under its influence. A yellow warning (be updated) of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) has been issued for isolated places in Balasore on May 26. Heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) may also occur at isolated places in Bhadrak and Kendrapada.

The districts in Odisha likely to get rains were Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara on May 26 and Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj on May 27, weather scientist Umashankar Dash said.

On May 27, heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) is likely at isolated places in Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Bhadrak districts.