Depression forms in the Bay of Bengal

The Met office yesterday said the depression over the Bay of Bengal may intensify and turn into a cyclone before making landfall on the Bangladesh coast tomorrow.

At noon yesterday, the depression was centred at 805 km southwest of Chattogram Port, 740 km southwest of Cox's Bazar Port, 765 km south of Mongla Port, and 730 km south of Payra Port.

The depression was moving toward the coast at a speed of 16 km/h and is expected to develop into a cyclone today, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).

"It may cross the Bangladesh coast between Payra and Khepupara. However, it is difficult to predict its trajectory at this time because it has not yet turned into a cyclone," said Abul Kalam Mallik, a meteorologist at BMD.

He said that once the cyclone is formed, the BMD will release information about its trajectory.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the cyclone will gain strength and become a severe cyclonic storm by this evening before crossing the coast tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

The latest cyclone, to be named Remal, may severely impact the Sundarbans if it makes landfall on the Indian coast and the timing coincides with high tide.

Cyclone Aila, which devastated the Sundarbans and vast areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal after making landfall on May 25, 2009, with a wind speed of 120 km/h. Yaas, on the other hand, had a maximum wind speed of 140 km/h.

At least eight major cyclones struck Bangladesh's coast in the month of May between 2009 and 2021, leaving around 400 people dead.

Cyclone Aila hit the coast on May 25, 2009, and resulted in the loss of 150 lives; Cyclone Mahasen claimed 17 lives after it hit the coast on May 16, 2013; Cyclone Roanu made landfall on May 21, 2016, causing 26 fatalities; Cyclone Akash made landfall on May 14, 2017, leading to 14 deaths; Cyclone Mora hit the coast on May 30, 2017, resulting in 18 deaths; Cyclone Fani struck on May 4, 2019, claiming 17 lives; Cyclone Amphan hit on May 21, 2020, leading to 20 fatalities; and Cyclone Yaas made landfall on May 26, 2021, causing at least two deaths.