Amid the speculations on rise in temperature in next few days, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a heatwave warning in southern districts of Bengal,including Kolkata.
It has been reported that the temperaure is expected to shoot up due to the warm north-westerly winds as an indirect influence of cyclone Mocha.
According to senior weather official Sourish Banerjee from IMD Kolkata, Bengal is awaiting another heatwave, expectedly from Wednesday.
"People will have to reel under uncomfortable weather from Tuesday due to the indirect effect of Cyclone Mocha," Banerjee said, adding that there is no chance of rain until Thursday.
It has been estimated that Southern districts of the state would record temperatures around 40-42 degrees Celcius between Tuesday to Thursday.
According to sources, heatwave warnings have been issued for Birbhum East and West Burdwan, Bankura, Purulia and West Medinipur.
Further, central districts such as Malda and North and South Dinajpur will also experience scorching temperatures on Wednesday.
Cyclone alert in Bengal
A low pressure area formed over south-east Bay of Bengal on Monday is expected to intensify into a cyclone and likely to move towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast later this week, the weather office said here.
The low pressure area is expected to concentrate into a depression by Tuesday evening and then intensify into a cyclonic storm the next day, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of India Meteorological Department, told reporters here.
He asked fishermen, ships, trawlers and small boats not to venture into the south-east Bay of Bengal and urged those in the region to return to the coast.
The cyclone will be named Mocha (Mokha), a name suggested by Yemen after the Red Sea port city, which is known to have introduced coffee to the world over 500 years ago.
"The cyclonic storm will move initially north-northwest to central Bay of Bengal till May 11 and then re-curve and move north-northeast towards Bangladesh-Myanmar coast," Mohapatra said.
He said squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph is likely over southeast Bay of Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and adjoining Andaman Sea on Tuesday.
Mohapatra said under the influence of the weather system, Andaman and Nicobar islands are expected to experience very heavy rainfall on Tuesday.
The weather office has suggested regulation of tourism and offshore activities and shipping near Andaman and Nicobar Islands and over the sea areas of southeast and central Bay of Bengal till Friday.
What did CM Mamata Banerjee say?
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday assured people that necessary precautionary measures have been taken and there was no need to panic as Cyclone Mocha might not make landfall in the eastern state.
"There is no reason to panic about Cyclone Mocha... it may not make a landfall in West Bengal. But the coastal areas of the state have been asked to remain cautious. Alerts have been issued in Sunderbans and Digha on May 10 and 11 as a precautionary measure," she said.
The Alipore Meteorological Department has said that the depression that has formed over the Bay of Bengal will not have much impact on the state.
"On May 11, Cyclone Mocha will move towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast. However, keeping in mind the safety of the people of the state, we have set up control rooms at the secretariat as well as in several districts," she said.
Banerjee said a meeting was also held to hold a discussion on the preparations for the cyclone. Fishermen have also been asked not to venture into the sea.
"Sufficient amounts of relief materials have also been kept in stock," she said.
(With PTI Inputs)
