Low pressure over Bay of Bengal intensifies, yellow warning issued

KOLKATA: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday notified that the low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal has intensified resulting into a depression in the next 24 hours.

It also predicted a gusty wind with speed reaching 40 to 50 kilometer per hour is likely to prevail over South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, and East and West Midnapore districts on Tuesday. The same is predicted for Wednesday over the same areas as well as North 24 Parganas.

The department has issued a yellow warning over South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, East and West Midnapore on Tuesday. The same places along with North 24 Parganas are predicted to experience heavy rainfall on Wednesday as well. A yellow warning has been issued for Thursday over South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts.

"Well-marked low pressure area lies over northwest Bay, adjoining areas of coastal Odisha, north coastal Andhra Pradesh and west central Bay at 0830 hrs IST of today, 8th Aug, 2022. To intensify into a depression during next 24 hrs and move across Odisha & Chattisgarh," the IMD tweeted earlier.

During the lightning activity, people have been suggested to stay indoors and take shelter in pucca structures. The water-bound activities over the coast of East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas districts—particularly Digha, Mandarmani and Sagar area from Tuesday to Wednesday. Mayor Firhad Hakim said that all possible measures and preparedness at borough level so that water if it gets accumulated can be drained out within three to four hours time. He assured that water will not remain stagnant for three to four days as it had been in some areas in the city during last year's monsoon. "All steps have been taken. Night and day, people will be there at the pumping station," the member, mayor-in-council (Drainage and Sewage) Tarak Singh said. He had held a meeting with the concerned heads.

According to the department, the intensity of it is likely to rise while wind speed might exceed 50 kilometre per hour along and off the West Bengal coast during this period.