A depression over the southwest and adjoining areas of the southeast Bay of Bengal and the East Equatorial Indian Ocean has intensified into a deep depression and is expected to cross Sri Lanka’s coast between Hambantota and Kalmunai by Friday night, the Indian Meteorological Department said.
In its latest update issued at 5.30 a.m. IST on Thursday (January 8), the IMD said the system moved west-northwestwards at a speed of about 15 kmph during the past six hours and was centred near latitude 5.4°N and longitude 85.3°E.
The deep depression was located about 420 km east-southeast of Pottuvil, 470 km east-southeast of Batticaloa, 470 km east-southeast of Hambantota, 570 km southeast of Trincomalee, 860 km southeast of Karaikal and 1,020 km south-southeast of Chennai.
According to the IMD, the system is very likely to continue moving west-northwestwards across the southwest Bay of Bengal over the next 36 hours and cross the Sri Lanka coast between Hambantota and Kalmunai around the evening or night of January 9, 2026.
Authorities are expected to monitor the system closely as it approaches the island, with further updates to be issued based on its movement and intensity. (Newswire)
