Cyclone Mocha to Miss Indian Coast; Will Hit Bangladesh or Myanmar

New Delhi: Cyclone ‘Mocha’ over the Bay of Bengal is unlikely to have any major impact on Indian coast. It is likely to make landfall over southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar) around forenoon of May 14, forecasted the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

During landfall it may show maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kmph gusting to 130 kmph. The system is currently in the stage of a depression over southeast Bay of Bengal. It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm over the same region around the evening of today. The system will be named as Cyclone ‘Mocha’, after it intensifies into a cyclonic storm.

“The depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 05 kmph during past 06 hours, intensified into a Deep Depression and lay centered at 0530 hours IST of today, the 10th May 2023 over the same region near latitude 8.5°N and longitude 89.0.°E, about 540 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 1460 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1350 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar). It is very likely to move northwestwards for some time and then north-northwestwards and intensify gradually into a cyclonic storm over the same region around today evening,” the IMD said in its morning bulletin today.

“Continuing to move north-northwestwards, it will gradually intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by 11th May morning and very severe cyclonic storm by 12th May morning over southeast and adjoining central Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, it is likely to recurve gradually, move north-northeastwards and weaken slightly from 13th May and cross southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar) around forenoon of 14th May, 2023 with maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kmph gusting to 130 kmph,” the IMD predicted.