Formation of a fresh depression has been declared in Central and adjoining South-East Bay of Bengal 650 km south-east of Visakhapatnam, the closest point on the East Coast of India.

The location is 810 km south-southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 1.50 km south-southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh, according to the Regional Specialised Met Centre, New Delhi.

CYCLONE WATCH

It is forecast to intensify as a deep depression in the next 24 hours and subsequently as a cyclonic storm with a projected landfall over the Bangladesh coast by Sunday.

Estimated wind speed currently is in the range of 46 km/hr gusting to 65 km/hr. The state of the sea is 'rough' to 'very rough' around the centre of the system.

Winds are higher in the northern sector of the system at 46 km/hr to 55 km/her and lower in the southern sector at 28 km/hr to 37 km/hr.

SKIRTING INDIA'S COAST

The projected cyclone will start steering away from India's East Coast from tomorrow, the Regional Specialised Met Centre said.

Most weather models also concur that the intensification of the system as a cyclone would take place and that it would also reach closest to the Andhra Pradesh coast in India in the process.

But from here, it would start re-curving to the north-east headed for an intended landfall over the Bangladesh coast, expected to happen by Sunday.

EARLIER COORDINATES

Earlier last night, India Met Department (IMD) said it was confident that the intensification into a depression during the course of the day today.

The US Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) shared this optimism, citing the persisting favourable environment for it to grow in strength, the prospects of which was assessed as 'high.'

It had located the system some distance to the north-west of Smith Island in Andaman & Nicobar Islands but a good 1,000 km and more south-east of Visakhapatnam.

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