Deadly Cyclone Roanu to incite major flooding, landslides in northeastern India and Bangladesh

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

May 20,2016; 11:37PM,EDT

 

 

Deadly Cyclone Roanu will bring a major flood risk to northeastern India and Bangladesh as it slams onshore during the first half of the weekend.
The first tropical cyclone of the season in the Bay of Bengal will make landfall in Bangladesh, near or just north of Chittagong, on Saturday.
The cyclone will continue to graze India's northern Odisha and West Bengal coasts into Friday night. Rain will generally total 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) with locally higher amounts, triggering some incidents of flooding.
As the cyclonic storm traverses the Bay of Bengal from the Indian coast to Bangladesh, it is expected to gain strength and become a Severe Cyclonic Storm with maximum sustained winds of 90-115 km/h (55-70 mph).

The south-central coast of Bangladesh is at risk for flooding storm surge and wind gusts of 95-125 km/h (60-80 mph) as Roanu moves onshore. Power outages, tree damage and structural damage may result.
"The major threat from Roanu will continue to be flooding," AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said.
This threat will expand well beyond the point of landfall, encompassing southern Bangladesh, northeastern India and western and northern Myanmar.
In northeastern India, this includes Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and eastern parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
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Widespread rainfall totals of 150-300 mm (6-12 inches) are expected this weekend, raising significant concerns for life-threatening flooding and landslides.
"There will be localized amounts in excess of 300 mm (12 inches)," Richards said.
That is especially true in the higher terrain.
Residents living in areas prone to flooding or landslides should prepare to evacuate or seek other shelter. Some communities could be cut off by damaged or flood-ravaged roads and bridges.
Roanu caused deadly flooding and mudslides in Sri Lanka earlier this week. The Associated Press reports that more than 60 people were killed. Lightning, landslides and falling trees are all causes for death since Monday. Hundreds are missing after mudslides devastated three villages in the central district of Kegalle.
A Sri Lankan man uses an inflatable tube to move through a flood-affected area in Wellampitiya, outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, May 20,2016. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
While the rain spread from Sri Lanka then up the eastern coast of India, intense heat worsened across western India as the circulation around Roanu pulled in dry and warmer air. On Thursday, Phalodi in Rajasthan set the all-time record high for India when temperatures soared to 51 C (123.8 F).
The extreme heat will ease for this weekend, but hot conditions will continue to put a strain on residents throughout western and northern India well into next week.