Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) | A 'storm warning cage number 2' was mounted at Pamban Port in Rameswaram on Tuesday to warn fishermen about the Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Hamoon' over the Bay of Bengal, said the port officials.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that the Cyclonic Storm 'Hamoon' has now intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the Northwest Bay of Bengal.

As per the information from IMD, the Cyclonic Storm 'Hamoon' over Northwest and adjoining West-Central Bay of Bengal moved northeastwards with a speed of 18 km per hour during the past 6 hours.

The cyclonic storm after moving for six hours, intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centred, at 2:30 am on October 24, over the northwest Bay of Bengal, near latitude 19.3°N and longitude 88.4°E, about 210 km east-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 270 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal) and 350 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh).

The cyclonic storm is very likely to move nearly north-northeast wards and cross the Bangladesh coast between Khepupara and Chittagong around noon on October 25 as a 'Deep Depression'.

Earlier, on Monday, the Municipal Administration in Odisha had put all Urban Local Bodies (ULB) on alert in view of the formation of cyclonic storm 'Hamoon' in the Bay of Bengal.

Director Municipal Administration Sangramjit Nayak, in an official statement, issued a directive to all ULB Chiefs, sensitising them about the impending danger due to the formation of cyclonic storm 'Hamoon' in the Bay of Bengal, which will culminate in huge rainfall, wind, and inclement weather.