India's East Coast Goes on High Alert as Weather Office Forecasts First Cyclone of 2022

Eastern Indian states earlier faced intense cyclones in 2019, 2020, and 2021, causing significant destruction of properties in the region. The intensity of severe cyclonic storms in the North Indian Ocean region has been increasing over the last four decades, a study conducted by Indian scientists revealed in 2021.

The government of India's eastern state of Odisha has alerted its disaster response force after the country's weather office issued a cyclonic storm warning on Friday.

The India Meteorological Department said that a low-pressure area has formed over the South Andaman Sea and the adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal.

The cyclonic storm may reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off the north Andhra-Odisha coasts by 10 May.

"We have not yet made any forecast on where it will make landfall. We have also not mentioned anything on the possible wind speed during the landfall," Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director-General of India Meteorological Department (IMD), said.

Weather forecasters have estimated that the wind speed of the cyclonic storm will remain at 80-90 kmph in the sea.

Following the warning, the National Disaster Response Force, Odisha's Disaster Rapid Action Force, and fire services units have been placed on high alert.

The state government has also asked local officials to begin preparation for the evacuation of the coastal population to safer areas.