Severe Cyclonic storm ‘Mocha’ over Southeast adjoining Central Bay of Bengal intensified into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm over Central adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal on Friday morning.

The Severe Cyclonic Storm “Mocha” over Southeast adjoining Central Bay of Bengal moved northwards with a speed of 09 kmph during past six hours, intensified into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm and lay centered at 05:30 hours of Friday, May 12, 2023, over Central adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal near latitude 13.2°N and longitude 88.1°E, about 520 km west-northwest of Port Blair, 1010 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 930 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar).

The India Meteorological Department said it is very likely to move north-northeastwards and intensify further over Eastcentral Bay of Bengal. It is likely to cross southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar), close to Sittwe (Myanmar) around noon of May 14, 2023 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 150-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph.

The IMD advised fishermen, ships, boats and trawlers to not venture into the southeast Bay of Bengal till May 12, central Bay of Bengal and north Andaman Sea till May 14 and into northeast Bay of Bengal during 12th -14th May.