A year after Titli & Luban, 2 cyclones developing in 2 seas put 4 states on alert

In a rare, though not unprecedented weather system, four states Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bengal and Odisha are on alert after weather officials predicted impact from cyclones – Maha and Bulbul – surrounding the Indian subcontinent – the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Gujarat and Maharashtra are likely to receive rains due to Maha, while the developing cyclone Bulbul will likely affect Bengal and Odisha.

This is a repeat of last year, when cyclone Titli in Bay of Bengal and cyclone Luban in the Arabian Sea hit the peninsular in the same week.

The severe cyclonic storm Maha over west-central and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea is currently located at about 400 km west-southwest of Porbandar in Gujarat.

“It is very likely to move nearly eastwards, weaken into a cyclonic storm by November 6 evening. Thereafter, it is likely to move east-northeastwards, weaken further into a deep depression by early morning of November 7… It is very likely to skirt Saurashtra coast and lie centered about 40 km south of Diu as a deep depression,” IMD said.

Also read: Cyclone Maha to intensify over next 24 hours

The weather bureau has predicted light to moderate rain in several parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra on November 7 due to Maha.

Meanwhile, cyclone Bulbul is likely to intensify into a “very severe” cyclonic storm over the next two days and set to head towards the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts, skirting Odisha, the Met department said on Thursday.

Cyclone Bulbul, which lay around 930 km south- southeast of Kolkata, “might turn into a severe cyclonic storm by Thursday midnight and further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm by Saturday evening. The storm is very likely to move north-northwestwards towards West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts,” leading to rough sea conditions, regional Met director G K Das said.

The maximum windspeed within and around the area of cyclone Bulbul had been recorded 70 to 80 km per hour, with gusts up to 90 kmph. If the system intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm, the maximum sustained wind speed might reach 115 to 125 kmph, with gusts up to 140 kmph, the weatherman explained.