Deep depression turns into cyclonic storm 'Midhili', to hit Bangladesh coast

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Friday intensified into a cyclonic storm that will graze past the Sunderbans before making landfall on the Bangladesh coast with a maximum wind speed of 80 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The storm, 'Midhili', will cross the Bangladesh coast either during the night of November 17 or early on November 18, the IMD said.

The system over the Bay of Bengal lay centered at 5.30 am on Friday at about 190 km east of Paradip in Odisha, 200 km south-southeast of Digha in West Bengal and 220 km southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh.

"It is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and cross the Bangladesh coast close to Khepupara with wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph during November 17 night or early hours of November 18," the IMD said.

The name 'Midhili' was given by the Maldives. Countries affected by the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal cyclones rotationally give names of cyclones in a sequence.

The IMD said ‘Midhili’ will have no major impact on Odisha as it passes above 150 km from the state's coast. However, some districts like Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur were likely to get heavy rainfall on Friday, IMD scientist Umashankar Das said.

Odisha alert

Odisha's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has put all the district Collectors on alert.

"We do not want to take any chance and therefore put the state machinery on alert for any eventuality," Satyabrata Sahoo said.

The IMD said West Bengal's coastal districts like North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, East Medinpur and Kolkata were also likely to get rainfall in the range of 20 mm to 110 mm within 24 hours of Friday.

This is the second deep depression during this season.

(With agency inputs)