'Mocha' Intensifies Into ‘Severe Cyclonic Storm’, Says IMD

The cyclonic storm 'Mocha' pronounced as “Mokha” over southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwards with a speed of 11 km/per hour during the past six hours, intensified into a ‘Severe Cyclonic Storm’ and lay centered at 5.30 pm on Thursday, over the same region near latitude 12.2°N and longitude 88.0°E, about 520 km west of Port Blair, 1100 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1020 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar), said the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

It is very likely to move nearly northwards during the next 12 hours and intensify into a 'Very Severe Cyclonic Storm' by May 12 morning over central Bay of Bengal.

Thereafter, it is likely to recurve gradually and move north-northeastwards with further intensification. 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 km/per hour.

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