Several districts of south Bengal have been forecast to receive extremely heavy to heavy rainfall on August 1 and 2.
In a follow-up bulletin to July 31’s notification, the Met office has issued another special bulletin stating that a deep depression over northeast Bay of Bengal off Bangladesh coast had moved north-northwestwards at a speed of 25kmph over the past 6 hours and lay centered over the same region near latitude 21.6°N and longitude 90.7°E, about 60km southeast of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 330km east of Digha (West Bengal).
According to IMD, it is likely to move northwestwards and cross the Bangladesh coast close to east of Khepupara by August 1 evening. Thereafter, it is very likely to move west-northwest wards across Gangetic West Bengal in the subsequent 24 hours.
A red alert was issued for South 24-Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts on August 1 as very heavy to extreme rainfall (more than 20cm) was forecast.
Subsequently, Kolkata, North 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Bankura and Purulia districts are under orange alert and about 7-20cm rainfall is expected on August 1. These places are also under orange alert till August 2 for wind warning as the Met office predicts squalls with wind speed reaching 40-50kmph.
IMD also announced a yellow warning in Murshidabad, Nadia and Birbhum for the next few hours and these areas may receive heavy rainfall up to 7cm.
The rainfall recorded by IMD for Kolkata till August 1 evening was 21.3 mm.
The bulletin has also advised fishermen not to venture into the sea during this deep depression. Additionally, all water-bound activities in Digha, Mandarmani and Sagar beaches have been asked to be regulated. Low visibility during rainfall and waterlogging in low-lying areas are expected in various regions of south Bengal.
IMD has also warned against moderate flash floods in a few watersheds of South 24-Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts.
The deep depression is expected to lose its intensity and turn into depression by midnight of August 2.