As Tripura continuously witnessing the scorching heat with mercury rising  up to 40 degrees Celsius in Agartala in the Norwester season with  highest temperature in over 62 years, the IMD has also issued warning of heavy rainfall across Tripura on May 13th to 15th next due to Cyclone Mocha.

The Indian Meteorological Department has warned that Cyclone Mocha forming over the Bay of Bengal may intensify into a very severe storm.

Agartala station added that Under the  influence of cyclonic storm Mocha, widespread rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning, heavy and  heavy to very heavy at isolated places is very likely to occur over Tripura during 13 to 15th May 2023.

IMD issued “Orange”  (alert) warnings for three districts for May 13 and 14 and “Yellow” (watch) warning for remaining five districts of the state on the same and has also issued “Yellow” warning for all districts of the state for May 15.

The IMD said that the cyclonic storm “Mocha” pronounced as “Mokha” over southeast Bay of Bengal moved north- northwestwards with a speed of 8 kmph and lay centered at 1130 hours IST of 11th May 2023 over the same region near latitude 11.6°N and longitude 88.0°E, about 510 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 1160 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1080 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar).

It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and gradually intensify into a severe cyclonic storm around night of Thursday, the 11th May. Thereafter, it is likely to recurve gradually, move north-northeast wards from 12th May morning and intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm around 12th May evening over central Bay of Bengal. It would reach its peak intensity around the 13th May evening. It is likely to cross southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar), close to Sittwe (Myanmar) around noon of 14th May, 2023 with maximum sustained wind speed of 140-150 kmph gusting to 165 kmph.

IMD added that it is likely to weaken slightly from May 13th evening and cross southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts between  Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar) around forenoon of May 14th, 2023 with maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kilometers per hour gusting to 130 kmph.

Rainfall at most places in Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and southern Assam and heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely on Saturday and heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places of these states on Sunday.

An IMD statement said that damage to loose and unsecured structures, some breaches in Kutcha road due to heavy rain with the possibility of landslide, uprooting of small trees and breaking of tree branches, damage to small trees and damage to standing crops are likely to occur in these Northeastern states.

The state governments of Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam and Manipur have asked the district, disaster management and all concerned authorities to take all precautionary measures to prevent loss of life and damage to property.

Meanwhile, based on the warning issued by the IMD, the Revenue department of the Tripura government has also issued an advisory and  IMD, Agartala centre is observing the situation and may issue special bulletins for the purpose in accordance with the cloud movements.

As per prediction of IMD , the Revenue department in its advisory said that the department is assessing the situation regularly and alerted NDRF, SDRF, TSR, firefighters, trained volunteers and quick response teams (QRTs) in standby mode for immediate action.

The Revenue department has also asked the authorities to keep ready all equipment like boats, life jackets and other flood rescue items, monitoring of river flows, embankments and catchment areas and should take immediate preventive and preparedness measures.

While, the Agartala city after witnessing highest temperature in 62 years as the mercury touched 40 degrees Celsius which is at least 7.2 degrees higher than normal temperature at this time of the year, on Friday maximum temperatures recorded at 36.6 degrees Celsius and the city remained hottest today with relative humidity at about 87 percent and minimum recorded temperature of 25.5 degrees Celsius with departure of plus 1.6 degrees Celsius.