Cyclone Hamoon intensifies into ‘severe cyclonic storm’, 7 states on rainfall alert: IMD

After Cyclone Tej, now Cyclone ‘Hamoon’ has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. This storm is likely to move north-northeastwards and make landfall in Bangladesh between Khepupara and Chittagong around Wednesday (October 25) noon, the Met Department said on X.

Rainfall alerts sounded in 7 states as Cyclone Hamoon intensified

Amid the latest prediction, at least seven states have been put on rainfall alerts and fishermen have also been asked not to venture into the Bay of Bengal till October 25. The states on alert include Odisha, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Assam and Meghalaya.

Cyclone Hamoon turned into a severe cyclonic storm at around 6 am this morning, as per the weather agency. "Cyclonic Storm 'Hamoon' intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over northwest Bay of Bengal," the IMD tweeted.

Cyclone 'Hamoon' continued moving northeastwards with a speed of 18 kph, and lay centred over northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, which was about 200 km southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 290 km south-southeast of Digha in West Bengal in the wee hours of Tuesday at around 3 am.

Further, the IMD has issued rainfall warnings in Manipur, Mizoram, south Assam and Meghalaya for October 24-25 and Odisha and West Bengal for today.

Moreover, the weather agency has issued fishermen warnings in the Bay of Bengal. IMD has asked them not to venture into the east-central, west-central, north and along and off Odisha, West Bengal Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts till October 25.

Cyclone Tej's latest update

Meanwhile, another Cyclone called 'Tej' originated over the Arabian Sea and turned into an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Sunday.

Taking it to X, the IMD predicted, that "'Tej' has crossed Yemen coast and weakened into a severe cyclonic storm over coastal Yemen. "It is very likely to move further north-westwards and weaken into a cyclonic storm during [the] next 6 hours.”