Cyclone Mora: After Bangladesh, India now braces for heavy rainfall and severe weather conditions

After creating havoc in Bangladesh, Cyclone Mora has hit the North East on Tuesday afternoon. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in large parts of Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

A press release by IMD states that gale wind speed reaching 60 to 80 kilometres per hour would prevail over Mizoram and Tripura on 30 and 31 May. Squally winds speed reaching 45-65 kilometre per hour would prevail over South Assam, Meghalaya Manipur and along and off West Bengal cost on Wednesday. Heavy rainfall warning has also been issued in Odisha and West Bengal.

As per Hindustan Times , strong winds and heavy showers lashed much of Mizoram on Tuesday, damaging at least 80 buildings, including the district hospital in Siaha, the headquarters of the southernmost Saiha district, and 10 houses including a church was damaged in Sechhip district.

A low pressure belt that had earlier formed over Southeast Bay of Bengal on 26 May quickly took the form of a cyclonic storm intensity, earning it the name of ‘Mora’, meaning ‘Star of the Sea’ in Thai language.

The cyclone reportedly hit Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar district on 6 am on Tuesday. Authorities were still battling to evacuate more than half a million people from the coastal areas. Four persons from Cox Bazar district and two including a child from Bhola district have been killed. According to India Today , Six fishing trawlers carrying at least 71 boatmen are also reportedly missing.

INS Sumitra that was rushed for rescue operations to Bangladesh’s Chittagong that was hit by Cyclone Mora, has rescued 18 persons so far. The search and rescue operation was taking place 90 miles south of Chittagong.

With inputs from agencies