West Bengal: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its latest bulletin has forecast very heavy rainfall in West Bengal including Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri due to Cyclone Shaheen, which is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours. This latest weather alert for West Bengal, Bihar, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Gujarat.
According to the IMD, the deep depression that has now intensified into Cyclone Shaheen lies near Pakistan and Iran besides India. As of 5.30 AM on Friday, Shaheen lay about 400km west-northwest of Devbhoomi Dwarka in Gujarat. The arrival of Shaheen is an outcome of the remnant of Cyclone Gulab – deep depression, weakening into a depression, only to intensify into a new cyclone over the Arabian Sea. The IMD has cautioned fishermen against venturing out into the northeast Arabian Sea as well as along and off Gujarat coast in the subsequent 12 hours.
Meanwhile, the additional well-marked low-pressure area over south Bihar and its neighbouring state Jharkhand now lies over southwest Bihar and its neighbourhood. The IMD has already stated that the ongoing monsoon is expected to start its withdrawal process from certain regions of northwest India from October 6th onwards.