Bay depression nears coast as cyclone threat builds for Monday

A depression over the Bay of Bengal is moving closer to the coast and may intensify into a cyclone on Monday, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department has said.

Iran has proposed the name Akvan for the possible cyclone.

In a special bulletin on Sunday, the Met Office said the depression over the southeast Bay and adjoining southwest Bay had moved northwards.

At noon, it was 1,505km southwest of Chittagong Port, 1,435km southwest of Cox’s Bazar, 1,460km southwest of Mongla and 1,430km southwest of Payra.

It may move further north-northwest and intensify on Monday.

Meteorologist Kh Hafizur Rahman told bdnews24.com that rain was expected in the southern, southwestern and southeastern regions.

“Uncertainty is still high. We will have a clearer indication of its impact tomorrow (Monday),” he said.

Winds within 44km of the depression’s centre are reaching sustained speeds of up to 40kmph, with gusts of up to 50kmph, the bulletin said.

The sea is rough near the centre. Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra ports have been advised to hoist local warning signal No. 1.

Fishing boats and trawlers in the North Bay have been asked to stay close to the coast and proceed with caution until further notice.

Cyclone naming in the North Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal began in 2004.

In 2020, 13 WMO-ESCAP member countries proposed 169 names. The list was drawn up by 13 members of the WMO-ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones.

The region’s most recent cyclone was Murasu. If formed, the next will be named Akvan.