Cyclone Mocha is expected to make landfall off the coast of Myanmar around 12 a.m. (local time) on 14 May, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Wind speeds in excess of 110kmph are expected prior to/during this period, according to a public advisory issued by the Indian Embassy in Myanmar.
The advisory reads “All Indian nationals in Myanmar are advised to keep a watch on the weather forecast news and be prepared for any eventuality.”
The advisory also asked people to follow the advisories issued by the local authorities, the Maynmar Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, on its website www.moezala.gov.mm (and its Facebook page) from time to time.
People were advised to avoid unnecessary travel and stock up on essential supplies, such as drinking water.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal has moved northwestwards over the past six hours and is expected to move north-northwestwards and gradually intensify into a cyclonic storm over the same region by the evening.
An official statement reads “The depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards during past 06 hours with a speed of 05 kmph and lay centred at 23:30 hours IST of 9th May 2023 over the same region near latitude 8.5°N and longitude 89.3°E, about 510 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 1460 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) and 1340 km south-southwest of Sittwe (Myanmar).”