'Mocha' to intensify into severe cyclonic storm by midnight: IMD

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 11 (ANI): Cyclonic storm Mocha will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by midnight of Thursday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"Cyclonic storm Mocha over the southeast Bay of Bengal about 510 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 1190 km south-southwest of Coxs Bazar (Bangladesh). To intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by midnight of today," tweeted IMD.

Earlier today in the morning IMD said that the deep depression lying over the Southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm Mocha.

"The deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 8 kmph during past 6 hours, intensified into a cyclonic storm "Mocha" pronounced as "Mokha" and lay centred at 0530 hours IST of 11th May 2023 over the same region near latitude 11.2°N and longitude 88.1°E, about 510 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 1210 km south-southwest of Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1120 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar)," an official statement said.

In this regard, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has also issued an official statement that its units have been placed on high alert amid the warning of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for cyclonic storm Mocha.

The statement said that the ICG is geared up for response to the cyclonic storm as indicated by IMD and the update had been shared with the fisheries and civil administration.

On Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that people do not need to fear the cyclone as the state government is equipped to handle the situation.

"No need to fear the cyclone. If there come different circumstances, we will rescue people from coastal areas as the cyclone will move to Bangladesh and Myanmar," CM Banerjee had said. (ANI)