Low-pressure area in Bay of Bengal good for monsoon's progress

Thursday evening report of the IMD confirmed that the outer line of monsoon had reached across Kannur in Karnataka and Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

Indication of a low-pressure area developing in the Bay of Bengal is a good news for the advancement of monsoon, a senior official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.

Thursday evening report of the IMD confirmed that the outer line of monsoon had reached across Kannur in Karnataka and Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

Cyclone Vayu had slowed down monsoon’s progress, the IMD had said earlier

“A couple of days back, we were solely dependent on Vayu getting weakened as it had pulled all the required winds and slowed down the southwest monsoon’s progress in the country,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

“Today, we noticed indication of a low-pressure area getting developed in the Bay of Bengal, which always helps in the advancement of southwest monsoon towards northern part,” he told PTI.

“Generally, by this date southwest monsoon is supposed to arrive in Maharashtra, but it is still far away. Earlier observations had indicated that Vayu would take a couple of more days to weaken which will make way for monsoon to move northwards,” the official said.

“With signs of low-pressure area getting developed in the Bay of Bengal, whatever develops there is certainly going to benefit the advancement of southwest monsoon over the country and it can bring showers,” the IMD official predicted.

Business Standard

How Indian Ocean may play a lead role in world affairs in the future

There is also a strong economic and political logic to spotlighting the Indian Ocean as a key emerging region in world affairs.

In recent days, Australia’s foreign minister Marise Payne announced efforts to strengthen Australia’s involvement in the Indian Ocean region, and the importance of working with India in defence and other activities. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi – a geopolitical conference co-hosted by the Indian government – Payne said:

Our respective futures are intertwined and heavily dependent on how well we cooperate on the challenges and opportunities in the Indian Ocean in the decades ahead.

Among Payne’s announcements was A$25 million for a four-year infrastructure program in South Asia (The South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity initiative, or SARIC), which will primarily focus on the transport and energy sectors.

She also pointed to increasing defence activities in the Indian Ocean, noting that in 2014, Australia and India had conducted 11 defence activities together, with the figure reaching 38 in 2018.(Business Standard)

Payne’s speech highlights the emergent power of the Indian Ocean region in world affairs. The region comprises the ocean itself and the countries that border it. These include Australia, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

In terms of global political significance, the Atlantic Ocean can be viewed as the ocean of our grandparents and parents; the Pacific Ocean as the ocean of us and our children; and the Indian Ocean as the ocean of our children and grandchildren.

There is an obvious sense in which the region is the future. The average age of people in the region’s countries is under 30, compared to 38 in the US and 46 in Japan. The countries bordering the Indian Ocean are home to 2.5 billion people, which is one-third of the world’s population.

But there is also a strong economic and political logic to spotlighting the Indian Ocean as a key emerging region in world affairs and strategic priority for Australia.

Some 80% of the world’s maritime oil trade flows through three narrow passages of water, known as choke points, in the Indian Ocean. This includes the Strait of Hormuz – located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman – which provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.

The economies of many Indian Ocean countries are expanding rapidly as investors seek new opportunities. Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Tanzania witnessed economic growth in excess of 5% in 2017 – well above the global average of 3.2%.

India is the fastest growing major economy in the world. With a population expected to become the world’s largest in the coming decades, it is also the one with the most potential.

Cyclone Gaja makes landfall in Tamil Nadu, claims more than 11 lives

The cyclone is expected to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm.

Cyclone Gaja made landfall in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu around 1.40 am on Friday, and is expected to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm. The cyclone has claimed over 11 lives, uprooted trees in several regions. Roads and power connections were cut in many parts of Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, and Thanjavur districts.

According to Government sources, wind speed was around 111 km per hour. Nagapatinam and Tiruvarur districts were the worst hit. Nearly 12,000 electricity post fell and around 81,948 people are living across 421 shelters, says National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

The Tamil Nadu government has put its machinery in full alert in vulnerable districts to face the effects of the natural calamity. Four teams each of NDRF personnel have been already deployed in Nagapattinam district, while two teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in Cuddalore district.

The Indian Navy has also been put on alert for relief efforts. Two Indian Naval ships - Ranvir and Khanjar - are on standby to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake Humanitarian Aid Distress Relief (HADR), evacuation, and logistic support, including the provision of medical aid.

Around 29, 000 permanent cyclone shelters have been made and food is being provided to those who are residing in them. The government has also made 233 shelters in schools, colleges and marriage halls, say reports.

Train services to various southern parts of the states were hit. Flight services to Tirchy were also hit. Indigo Airline flight which left Chennai at 6 am with 57 passengers returned to Chennai since it could not land.

Holiday has been announced for schools and colleges in Nagai, Thiruvarur, Cuddalore, and Pudukkottai districts. Ariyalur collector also announced a holiday for schools and colleges on Friday. Exams were postponed.

Business Standard

Cyclone 'Titli' turns into severe storm, approaches Odisha, Andhra coast

It is very likely to intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 18 hours.

Cyclone 'Titli' over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm Wednesday and is moving towards the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast, triggering rainfall in several parts of Odisha, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The cyclonic storm is likely to make a landfall between Gopalpur in Odisha and Kalingapatanam in Andhra Pradesh early Thursday morning at a wind speed of 145 kmph, it said.( Business Standard )

"Titli moved with a speed of about 10 kmph and intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centred over the west-central Bay of Bengal, about 370 km south-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha," the IMD said in a bulletin.

It is very likely to intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 18 hours. The storm is likely to move north-northwestwards and cross Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh coast between Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam around Thursday morning, it said.

Thereafter, it is likely to re-curve northeastward, move towards Gangetic West Bengal across Odisha and weaken gradually, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, H R Biswas told PTI.

While some areas in coastal Odisha recorded rainfall Wednesday, the IMD has forecast "heavy to very heavy rainfall" at several places and "extremely heavy rainfall" at isolated areas till Thursday under the impact of the severe cyclonic storm.

The districts like Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Khurda, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till Thursday, the IMD said.

It also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall for Kandhamal, Boudh and Dhenkanal district from Thursday.

The IMD said rainfall would be accompanied by gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph and gusting to 80 kmph along and off Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts.

The wind speed will gradually increase to 120-130 kmph and gusting to 145 kmph from Wednesday night along and off south Odisha coast and 70-80 kmph gusting to 95 kmph along and off north the Odisha coast, the IMD bulletin said.

The sea condition is very high over the west-central Bay of Bengal. It is very likely to be phenomenal over the west-central and the adjoining north Bay of Bengal and along and off the south Odisha coast till Thursday, it said.

Storm surge of a height of about 1 metre above astronomical tide is very likely to inundate low lying areas of Ganjam, Khurda and Puri districts, it said.

The IMD advised total suspension of fishing operations and shifting of coastal hutment dwellers to safe places. Fishermen along the Odisha coast, and central and north Bay of Bengal were advised not to venture into sea till Friday... Read More