Bhubaneswar, December 3: A low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm Jawad. According to the India Meteorological Department, the cyclonic storm is likely to touch near Puri in Odisha around Sunday noon.
“Cyclonic storm Jawad, which is expected to reach Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast by Saturday morning, is likely to make landfall somewhere in Puri district before heading out to the Bay of Bengal,” said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena on Friday.
Jena, going by the projected trajectory of the cyclone, as issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said the system may strike the Puri coast and return to the sea.
“Wind speed, during the landfall, will remain around 90-100 kmph,” the SRC told reporters here, adding that the speed may gradually decrease after touching the Odisha coast.
Jena further informed that, “There’s also a possibility of the cyclonic system changing its course, thereby avoiding a landfall in Odisha. It could just pass along the coastline, with Puri experiencing a less effect.”
Maintaining that the State Government is making necessary preparations to deal with eventualities in all coastal districts, with focus on Ganjam, Puri and Jagatsinghpur, Jena said district administrations have been asked to start evacuating people from the low-lying areas.
According to the latest IMD bulletin, the deep depression over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 25 kmph during past six hours, intensified further into Cyclonic Storm ‘Jawad’ and lay centered at 11.30 AM, about 420 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 530 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 650 km south-southwest of Paradip (Odisha).
“It is likely to move north-westwards and reach west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh – south Odisha coasts by tomorrow, the 4th December morning. Thereafter, it is likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move along Odisha coast reaching near Puri around 5th December noon. Subsequently it is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards towards West Bengal coast,” it added.
