The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that cyclone ‘Mocha’ (pronounced as “Mokha”) is expected to trigger fairly widespread to widespread rainfall of light to moderate intensity across Northeast India from Monday to next Wednesday, May 15-17.
The system after intensifying into Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm over East central Bay of Bengal has moved nearly northeastwards with a speed of 20 km/per hour during the past six hours and lay centered at 11: 30 am on Saturday over the same region near latitude 16.0°N and longitude 90.0°E, about 560 km north-northwest of Port Blair, 630 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 550 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar).
It is very likely to move north-northeastwards and 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 an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 170-180 kmph gusting to 200 Km/per hour, IMD stated in a report.
As a result, rainfall activity is expected at most places in Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, and southern Assam and heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely on Saturday, and heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places of these states on Sunday.
An IMD statement said that damage to loose and unsecured structures, some breaches in the kutcha road due to heavy rain with the possibility of landslide, uprooting of small trees and breaking of tree branches, damage to small trees and damage to standing crops are likely to occur in these northeastern states.
The state governments of Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur have asked the district, disaster management, and all concerned authorities to take all precautionary measures to prevent loss of life and damage to property.
