The Regional Meteorological Department in Kolkata has predicted that a ‘super cyclone’ is likely to make landfall in Sundarban areas between May 23 and May 25 and possibly move towards Bangladesh. The Met department warned that the ferocity of the cyclonic storm ‘Yaas,’ named by Oman, might equal that of 'Amphan' that devastated Kolkata and adjoining areas on May 19 last year during the lockdown.

Though the Kolkata meteorological department is not sure about the direction and the speed of the wind but they said that a low depression has been formed in the East Central Bay and its adjoining areas and as it is increasing in strength every day it might take the shape of a 'Super Cyclone' before making landfall by the end of the week.

The IMD said that a low pressure area is likely to form over eastcentral Bay of Bengal around May 23, 2021. An IMD bulletin states, “Scattered to broken low and medium clouds with embedded intense to very intense convection lay over southeast Bay of Bengal (bob), adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean and Andaman sea. Scattered low and medium clouds with embedded moderate to intense convection lay over southwest Bay of Bengal.”

However, the officials are of the opinion that the storm might move towards Bangladesh after entering land through the Sundarbans. The department has already issued a warning to the fishermen asking them not to venture to the sea on May 23.

The department officials said that because of the formation of the depression, temperature is increasing in the areas of Gangetic West Bengal including Kolkata, South and North 24 parganas and it is likely to increase further. "In the last 24 hours the temperature has increased five degrees and it is likely to touch 40 degrees in the next couple of days. The humidity is also high creating uneasiness for the people. These are all results of the depression," a Met official said.

This will be the second cyclone India may see in the past one month after Cyclone Tauktae, which formed over Arabian Sea and made landfall in Gujarat. The cyclone caused torrential rains in Mumbai, Konkan, parts of Gujarat, Karnataka and Kerala as well.

Last year, Kolkata witnessed one of the most devastating cyclonic storms when 'Amphan' made landfall in the Sundarbans at a speed of nearly 260 kilometres per hour and went through the heart of the city, almost bringing all activity to a standstill for the next seven days.

With IANS inputs