The low pressure area over the north Andaman sea that intensified into a depression today (October 22, 2022) and is expected to take the shape of a cyclonic storm would cross Bangladesh's Tinkona Island and Sandwip on the morning of October 25, the Indian Met Department said.

The depression now lies about 940km from Barishal, reports our New Delhi Correspondent quoting Indian met office's latest update on the movement of the weather system.

The low pressure turned into a depression this morning and is expected to move northwestward and intensify further into a deep depression over east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal by tomorrow morning.

"The system is then very likely to re-curve gradually north-northeastwards, intensify into a cyclonic storm over central Bay of Bengal by October 24 morning and thereafter would continue to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast, between Tinkona Island and Sandwip, around October 25 morning," the IMD forecast said.

Two neighbouring eastern Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha are likely to experience fairly widespread rainfall due to the weather system.

According to Sanjib Bandopadhyay, deputy director-general of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata, isolated places in North-24 Parganas and South-24 Parganas districts will witness heavy to very heavy rainfall on October 24.

"Wind speed of 45km to 55km gusting to 65 kmph is likely in the districts of South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas on October 24. The next day, the wind speed may reach 90 to 100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph, in these districts," Bandopadhyay stated.

Ferry services have been suspended in the Sundarban area, he said adding water-based sporting activities have also been put on hold in the popular sea resorts of Mandarmoni and Digha.

The Odisha government has kept its men and machinery ready as the weatherman predicted heavy rainfall in the state's coastal districts, said Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena. "We have put authorities of eight districts on high alert.

The SRC also said the state government, as part of its preparedness, was in touch with different agencies such as the National Disaster Rescue Force, Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and Fire Services for rescue operations, if need be.