Cyclone Senyar is rapidly intensifying over the Strait of Malacca and adjoining northeast Indonesia. On Wednesday morning, it crossed the Indonesian coastline, alarming South and Southeast Asia. As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the storm is packed with winds of 70–80 kmph, and would reach up to 90 kmph while making landfall.
What is Storm Senyar’s Path?
• Currently it is 80 km east of Kuta Makmur in Indonesia
• Almost 280 km west of George Town in Malaysia
• Almost 580 km southeast of Nancowry in Nicobar Islands
• And 730 km southeast of Car Nicobar
It is predicted that the cyclonic storm will maintain its strength till Thursday morning and continue its west-southwestward movement, and later move towards sharp eastward recurvature and then eventually weaken within 24 hours. As per meteorologists, such recurving behaviour is normal and commonly formed in the Strait of Malacca.
Low-Pressure System Brewing Over Bay of Bengal
While Cyclone Senyar is developing, a low-pressure area is building over the southwest Bay of Bengal, Southeast Sri Lanka and the Equatorial Indian Ocean. This low pressure is likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a depression within the next 24 hours, as per IMD forecast.
In the next two days, the depression will intensify and move towards the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, increasing the possibility of heavy rainfall. This is a dual-system scenario — where there is a cyclone to the east and a depression to the west — which will lead to a strong moisture surge over the southern peninsula.
