The severe cyclonic storm Jawad, which impacted the eastern coastline of India, has significantly weakened. As of Monday, December 6, the system has downgraded into a low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Current Weather Status and Warnings
The IMD has issued an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in several districts for Monday. In Odisha, the alert covers coastal and northern districts including Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, and Mayurbhanj.
For West Bengal, heavy rain is predicted in some isolated parts of south Bengal, including coastal areas of South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur, as well as parts of Purba Bardhaman. Districts like North 24 Parganas, Nadia, and Murshidabad are also likely to witness heavy showers until Tuesday morning.
Squally winds with speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, are expected along and off the West Bengal coast until Monday afternoon. The Met department has advised fishermen not to venture into the west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal and along the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal for the next 24 hours.
Impact and Disruptions
The cyclone's remnants brought substantial rainfall, leading to waterlogging and traffic disruptions. In Kolkata, heavy rains caused significant waterlogging, prompting airlines like Vistara to advise travellers to allow extra time for their journey to the airport.
The East Coast Railway (ECoR), which had cancelled over 100 trains between Thursday and Sunday, resumed services from Monday as the cyclone weakened. Flight operations at Bhubaneswar airport, which were rescheduled for two hours on Sunday, have also returned to normal.
The West Bengal government took precautionary measures, including stopping ferry services on the Hooghly river and evacuating people from vulnerable coastal areas. Tourists have been urged to avoid seaside resorts.
Agricultural Loss and a Ray of Hope
The unseasonal rain triggered by Cyclone Jawad has dealt a severe blow to farmers, particularly in Odisha's Ganjam district. Hundreds of acres of standing crops, including paddy, chilli, and vegetables, have been submerged, dashing hopes of a bumper harvest that farmers were relying on to recover from losses suffered in November.
Amidst this devastation, a story of resilience emerges from West Bengal. Farmers affected by previous cyclones, Amphan and Yaas, have found some relief with the first mass-scale harvest of a salinity-tolerant rice variety called 'Nona Swarna' (Saline Gold). The West Bengal government has bulk-purchased this harvest at the minimum support price of Rs 1,950 per quintal for free distribution under public distribution schemes, helping to mitigate some cyclone-related losses.
As the system continues to dissipate, authorities remain on alert for the residual heavy rainfall, while affected communities begin to assess the full extent of the damage and start recovery efforts.
