Heavy rain likely in coastal Bengal as 'Fani' gathers steam

Kolkata: The cyclone 'Fani', which is currently located over Bay of Bengal at 1,170 km Southwest of the city, is expected to gain strength in the next 24 hours and likely to bring heavy showers in the coastal districts of Bengal.

The state government has already issued an alert asking fishermen not to voyage into the sea from May 2 and those who have already sailed have been asked to return within the evening of May 1 as a strong wind is set to hit the South Bengal districts on May 2.

The state government has also asked the East Midnapore district administration to take adequate preventive measures in this regard.

Senior administrative officials of the district issued instructions saying that a strong vigil will be conducted on the beaches of Digha, Mandarmani and other coastal areas, to ensure that no visitors bathe in the sea on May 2 and May 3 as it will remain turbulent.

The district administration has also asked all the fishing organisations not to sail any fishing boats during this period. All watersports activities in beaches will be shut down in the wake of the cyclonic storm as well.

The Regional Meteorological Centre at Alipore said heavy rainfall will lash various South Bengal districts, including the city, between May 3 and 4. The districts like North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.

On May 2 there may be light rainfall in the coastal districts. A gusty wind with an average speed of 60-85 km/h will be sweeping through various South Bengal districts on May 3 and 4. In some coastal areas, the wind speed may go up to 100 km/h.

Sanjib Bandyopadhyay, deputy director general of the Regional Meteorological Centre at Alipore, said on Tuesday: "The cyclone 'Fani' will intensify in the next 24 hours, as a result of which various South Bengal districts will receive heavy rainfall along with strong wind. Some of the North Bengal districts will also witness rainfall and strong breeze. The cyclone will initially advance in the Northwest direction and take a sudden turn towards Northeast on May 1."

It may be mentioned here that the city and various South Bengal districts have been facing a hot and humid spell for quite some time. Until recently, there was no system in the region that could trigger a thunderstorm.

Warm winds have been blowing into Gangetic Bengal from Northwest and Central India, leading to a heat-wave like condition in Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum and Jhargram.