The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal to stay on alert over the next two days, as the Severe Cyclonic Storm Jawad moves along the coast, causing heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal and the northeastern states.
IMD director general M. Mohapatra said that the cyclone was not expected to be as severe as Fani, Phailin, Bulbul or Titli, which had wind speeds of over 120kmph. Jawad is expected to have a maximum wind speed of around 90 to 100kmph. However, December 4 is new moon day. Tides are higher on new moons than on other days, and in the central Bay of Bengal region, the height of a new moon tide is normally around four to five metres. This, in addition to the heavy rainfall that Jawad will bring, is likely to cause heavy coastal inundation, and the IMD has issued a warning to clear the coast of those living in kuchcha structures. It has also given a warning to fishermen to stay off sea till the storm makes landfall in Puri (December 4 evening or early December 5) and then veer seaward, off the West Bengal coast on December 5.
With a red alert for Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal over the next two days (today's is an orange alert), the National Disaster Response Force has prepared 64 teams, of which 46 have already been deployed, and 18 are in reserve.
Jawad is a name contributed by Saudi Arabia. India Meteorological Department is one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (PMSCs) to provide tropical cyclone and storm surge advisories to 13 member countries—Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen The names for cyclones in the north Indian Ocean, including Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, are contributed by the member nations and RMSC selects a name in rotation from the list.
Jawad came into existence as a low-pressure area on November 30 in the Andaman Sea and developed into a Depression on December 2. It progressed into a Cyclonic Storm and lies somewhere southeast of Visakhapatnam since around noon of December 3. Mohapatra said that since it has moved upwards, the Andaman and Nicobar region has now been "dewarned''.
