Cyclone Mocha likely to hit Bangladesh

Cyclonic storm Mocha is likely to change its course and make landfall on Bangladesh-Myanmar coasts on May 15, the Indian meteorological department said today.

IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra told the media that the cyclonic circulation turned into a low pressure area over south east Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea at around 8:30am today, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The low pressure will rapidly intensify into a depression on May 9 evening and consolidate into a cyclonic storm on May 10 with the peak intensification indicated as a very severe cyclonic storm, the IMD said in its latest update on the trajectory of the system.

The cyclone is likely to move initially north-northwestward till May 11, and gradually change its course and recurve north-northeastwards towards Bangladesh-Myanmar coasts with the land crossing indicated on May 15, the update said.

The met office in its forecast said squally winds over southeast Bay of Bengal and south Andaman Sea may reach 50-60km per hour with wind gusts reaching up to of 70km per hour.