Cyclone Mocha, a depression formed in the Bay of Bengal, to intensify into a severe cyclone.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning that cyclone Mocha to intensify into a severe cyclone by Friday over the Bay of Bengal. “Cyclone storm Mocha over the southeast Bay of Bengal about 510Km west-southwest of Port Blair, 1190km south-southwest of coxs Bazar (Bangladesh). To intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by midnight of today.”

The cyclone is the first one of the Bay of Bengal this year and is possibly set to make a landfall on Sunday along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. After the warning the Indian Coast Guard has stated that its units have been alerted. The National Disaster Response Force teams also arrived in Digha in West Bengal to minimize the impact of the cyclone.

IMD stated that parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are going to receive heavy rainfall in the next 3 days and the states of Tripura and Mizoram are expected to receive heavy showers at isolated places on Saturday and Saturday whereas Nagaland, Manipur and South Assam will receive heavy rainfall in isolated pockets on Sunday.

The weather office has asked fisherman, ships, boats and trawlers to not venture into central and northeast Bay of Bengal and north Andaman Sea till Sunday. The IMD predicted a storm surge of 1.5-2 meters for the low-lying coastal region of Bangladesh near Cox’s Bazaar.

Yemen suggested the name ‘Mocha’, which is to be pronounced as Mokha. The name has been given after a Red Sea port city known for its coffee production