South Bengal districts and Kolkata are likely to receive rains for the next three days starting Thursday, which can affect ICC World Cup Cricket’s second semi-final match between Australia and South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.
According to a Met department bulletin issued on Wednesday, the depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past three hours and lay centred at 1130 hours IST Wednesday, about 470 km southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 620 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 770 km south of Digha (West Bengal).
“It is likely to move initially northwestwards, then north-northwestwards and intensifies into a deep depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal off the Andhra Pradesh coast in the morning of November 16. Thereafter, it would recurve north-northeastwards and reach over northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast on the morning of November 17 and off north Odisha-West Bengal coasts on November 18 morning,” the bulletin said.
According to a Met official, under the influence of deep depression, heavy rains are likely to occur over districts of Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas district on Thursday, while light to moderate rains will occur in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Nadia and Paschim Medinipur districts. The rain scare over Kolkata on Thursday could cast a shadow over the Cricket World Cup semi-final match between South Africa and Australia at the Eden Gardens.
“On Friday, heavy rains are likely to occur in Purba Medinipur, South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts, while light rains will occur in Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata and Paschim Medinipur districts. On Saturday, scattered rains are likely to occur in coastal areas,” the Met official added.
It also advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off West Bengal coasts from November 16 to 18.
Meanwhile, cloudy sky prevailed in most of the coastal regions in Odisha while some parts of southern districts received light rains.
The system will also bring isolated heavy rainfall in Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur from November 16 to 18 and over south Assam and Meghalaya on November 17. Keeping the IMD forecast in view, Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has requested fishermen not to venture into the sea from November 15 to November 18 as it will remain rough to very rough with a wind speed between 40 kmph and 70 kmph. —With PTI Inputs