Cyclone Sitrang: rainy Diwali in eastern India; Bengal, Odisha prepare as storm nears Bangladesh coast

Some parts of eastern India might see a rainy Diwali, with Cyclone Sitrang forming over the Bay of Bengal. The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm on the evening of 23 October 2022.

The cyclone is heading towards the Bangladesh coast, and is expected to make landfall between Tinkona island and Sandwip in Bangladesh on the morning of 25 October. Sitrang is likely to primarily impact the Sundarbans.

Earlier, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that heavy to very heavy rain on 24 October is likely in the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas, and heavy rainfall in East and West Midnapore.

Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly may receive moderate rain on 24 and 25 October. A forecast of light to moderate rain has been made for south Bengal districts from the evening of 23 October till the morning of 26 October.

The Odisha government has also prepared for possible heavy rain on 24 and 25 October, when the cyclone is expected to pass parallel to its coast.