The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm, Titli, , said a Met office special bulletin.
The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra were advised to lower distant cautionary signal No 1 and instead hoist distant warning signal No 2, report UNB, bdnews24.com.
The storm was centring at 3 pm on Tuesday about 970 kilo metres southwest of Chattogram port, 915 kms southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 870 kms south-southwest of Mongla port and 860 kms south-southwest of Payra port.
It is likely to intensify further and move in a north or north-westerly direction, the bulletin said.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 54 kms of the cyclonic centre is about 62 kph rising to 88 kph in gusts/squalls, it said.
Sea will remain very rough near the cyclonic centre.
All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.
The national weather office of India issued a rain red alert for two days after the storm started heading towards the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coast on Tuesday, the NDTV reported.
The Odisha government has alerted all district authorities to prepare for emergency relief work.
The India Meteorological Department has also warned of heavy rain in West Bengal and north Andhra Pradesh.
The cyclone may make a landfall on Thursday morning, believed Indian meteorologists.
There had been two more depressions over the bay in September. One of them had turned into a cyclone and was named Deyi which got weakened after crossing the Odisha coast and did not impact Bangladesh.
Pakistan proposed the name ‘of the current cyclone, ‘Titli’, meaning butterfly to the panel of met offices in eight Asia-Pacific countries.
There has been another cyclone called ‘Luban’ already formed in the Arabian Sea and moving towards Oman.