Cyclonic storm ‘Komen’ hit the Bangladesh coast on Thursday evening, bringing with it heavy rainfall in Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha, the MET department said.
After making landfall in Bangladesh, it will move west- north-westwards and weaken gradually.
“Rainfall would occur at most places, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy at isolated places over the Gangetic West Bengal on July 30-31 and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places on August 1,” said Mritunjay Mohapatra, head of the Cyclone Warning Division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
There would be rains at most places, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over the north-eastern States of Mizoram, Tripura and Assam till Friday.
Jharkhand will also witness heavy to very heavy rains on Friday and on August 1.
“Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph would prevail along and off West Bengal and north Odisha coasts during next 48 hours.
“Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph would prevail over Mizoram and Tripura commencing from this evening for next 24 hours and over Gangetic West Bengal from Friday morning. Sea condition would be high over north Bay of Bengal during the same period,” Mr. Mohapatra added.
Staff Reporters adds:
Meanwhile, even as flood situation in Odisha has marginally improved, threat has still loomed large over a few districts which could receive heavy rain under influence of cyclonic storm ‘Komen’.
According to Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, cyclonic Komen over north-east Bay of Bengal moved north-eastwards. It predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over coastal Odisha and adjoining Mayurbhanj district would occur during next 24 hours.
During past 24 hours, weather remained largely dry with stray showers reported at few places in the State. It helped river water getting discharged into sea at faster pace.
Besides, people, who are surrounded by flood water in Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts, managed to take shelters at safe places without much difficulty.
As per preliminary estimate, about 4 lakh people of 358 villages under 11 Blocks and one urban local bodies in five districts have been affected by the current spell of flood. Three persons were reported to be killed.
Five teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and one team of National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in different places.
