A low-pressure system brewing over Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm resulting in rain in Jharkhand and neighbouring Bengal and Odisha next week, the IMD said on Wednesday.

A bulletin issued by IMD's New Delhi office on Wednesday afternoon indicated the formation of a low-pressure area over north Andaman Sea and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal around May 22, and said the sytem was likely to intensify into cyclonic storm Yaas as named by Oman.

Weathermen said the low-pressure zone is likely to intensify gradually into a cyclonic storm, move northwestwards and reach West Bengal and Odisha coasts around May 26. This will result in rainfall, particularly in southern and central Jharkhand early next week.

"We are keeping a watch on the situation. If the low-pressure system intensifies into a severe cyclonic storm it will result in heavy rain in Bengal and Odisha and moderate rain in Jharkhand," said a weather scientist at IMD's Delhi office, adding that the system was under continuous surveillance. The concerned state governments were being updated regularly, he said.

G.K. Das, director of the regional Met centre at Alipore in Calcutta, said, "It's early to comment. Various weather models suggest formation of a low-pressure system over east-central Bay of Bengal. It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm. Things will be more clear in the next 48 hours."

Abhishek Anand, head of IMD's Ranchi Met Centre, said this was the season of low-pressure systems and tropical cyclones. "Last year, around this time (May 20) Amphan, a severe cyclonic storm originating from the Bay of Bengal, had led to widespread devastation in Bengal. About Yaas, it's too early to comment because everything depends on its direction, movement and strength," he said.

As per IMD forecast, several places across Jharkhand experienced light to moderate rain during the past 24 hours due to the impact of a cyclonic circulation. Daltonganj recorded 59mm rainfall, the highest so far.

Thunder, lightning claim 5

Thunderstorm and lightning claimed five lives _ two each in Latehar and Deoghar while one casaulty was reported from Bokaro .

Several places, including Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Bokaro, Garhwa, Khunti and Seraikela-Kharsawan district, experienced thunderstorm and rain on Wednesday evening which was due to the impact of a low-intensity Nor'wester.