Deep depression over Bay of Bengal likely to turn into cyclone by Monday evening: IMD
Bhubaneswar/Kolkata (PTI): The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclone by Monday evening, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.
The cyclonic storm, after its formation, will be christened 'Hamoon', a name given by Iran.
The deep depression over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at about 320 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 470 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 610 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) at 11.30 am, it said.
"It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next three hours. It is very likely to move nearly north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between Khepupara and Chittagong around evening of October 25 as a deep depression," the IMD said in its mid-day bulletin.
The Odisha government has asked all the district collectors to remain prepared for any eventuality, and directed the administration to evacuate people from low-lying areas in the event of heavy rain.
"The system (cyclone) will move in the sea around 200 km from Odisha coast," weather scientist U S Dash said, adding that under its influence, light to moderate rainfall is likely at a few places in coastal Odisha on Monday and at many places over the next two days.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the wind speed over the Bay of Bengal will gradually increase to 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph by Tuesday morning.
He said there will be no direct impact of the likely cyclone on Odisha, but some Durga Puja pandals, which are not strong enough to withstand such wind speeds, could suffer damage.
Odisha received about 15 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours under the influence of the system. Light to moderate rain may continue in the coastal areas on Monday and Tuesday, the weather office said.
Heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) might occur at one or two places in Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur till 8.30 am on Tuesday, it said.
The IMD has also asked fishermen not to venture into west-central Bay of Bengal till Wednesday, and along and off the Odisha coast and north Bay of Bengal during Monday-Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring West Bengal, the Met department forecast thunderstorms with lightning and moderate rainfall in parts of Purba Medinipur, Kolkata and South 24 Parganas districts on Monday and Tuesday.
Light to moderate rainfall in some parts of the state dampened the festive mood of revellers on Nabami', though people were seen braving the weather with colourful umbrellas at various Durga Puja pandals.
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Cong Prez's alleged Facebook page sparks row; foreign influence, charges BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka BJP has alleged that Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge's social media is managed by foreign handlers, referring to a verified Facebook page in his name, a charge debunked by his son.
Kharge's son and Karnataka Minister for Electronics, IT/BT Priyank Kharge said the page is "fake" and that they have requested Facebook to take it down.
"Mallikarjun Kharge, who is in news for waqf land grab, now has foreign handlers managing his social media. We've been warning about the foreign influence behind Congress’s divisive caste-based politics, and this only confirms it. Why@khargeji?," Karnataka BJP posted on 'X'
"Why trust foreign handlers over your own people? After all that India has given you, why this betrayal?" it further asked, while sharing a screenshot of "page information" from a Facebook page in Mallikarjun Kharge's name.
The "page information" of the Facebook page bearing Mallikarjun Kharge's name says, "Primary country/region location for people who manage this Page includes: Norway (1)"
Mallikarjun Kahrge is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.
Hitting back at BJP's post, Priyank Kharge said despite having what they claim to be the “most effective Home Minister” in India’s history (referring to Amit Shah), BJP cannot determine whether an Opposition Leader’s account is genuine.
"I truly appreciate the relentless efforts of @BJP4India’s IT Cell. For just Rs 2, they’ve launched a malicious social media campaign against Congress President, Shri @kharge," he said in a post on 'X'.
"For clarity, Kharge has only two official social media accounts," he said, sharing the links of the Congress president's 'X' account and WhatsApp Channel.
Instead of focusing on pressing national issues, BJP seems obsessed with investigating a dead Facebook page that hasn’t been active since 2020, linked to an unknown email, Priyank Kharge said, adding, "Since we have no idea who is behind it, we’ve officially requested Facebook to take it down. Moreover, a Facebook Blue Tick is easily obtained through a paid subscription."
