Cyclone ‘Tej’ intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Sunday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Originating in the Arabian Sea, the storm is currently moving northwestwards and is expected to cross the Yemen-Oman coast between Al Ghaidah in Yemen and Salalah in Oman.
“The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Tej’ intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and lay centred about 160 km east-southeast of Socotra (Yemen), 540 km south-southeast of Salalah (Oman), and 550 km southeast of Al Ghaidah (Yemen) at 8:30 am on Sunday,” the IMD said in a statement. The cyclonic storm is predicted to cross the Yemen-Oman coasts on October 24 as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 115-125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph, the IMD said.
The cyclone is very likely to cross the Yemen-Oman coast between Al Ghaidah in Yemen and Salalah in Oman in the early hours of October 25, the weather agency added. The IMD also said the depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal is likely to further intensify into a deep depression by early Monday morning. It is then likely to recurve and move north-northeastwards during the subsequent three days towards Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts, the Met office said.
In view of Cyclone Tej, the IMD has issued a warning for fishermen, asking those out at sea to immediately return to the coast. They have also been advised not to venture into the south-west Arabian Sea till October 25, and the west-central side of the water body till October 25 night. On Saturday, news agency PTI quoting Manorama Mohanty, director of the Meteorological Centre, reported that Cyclone Tej will not have any impact on Gujarat. “Weather in Gujarat will remain dry for the next seven days,” she was quoted as saying.
Source: India Today
