AGARTALA / DHAKA / KOLKATA, May 21 (TIWN): Cyclonic rains continue across Tripura and eastern region bordering Bangladesh as heavy downpours flooded most of the cities causing public life into peril. Gangetic West Bengal and Tripura swathes of which were inundated by overnight showers, will continue to receive rains in the next 24 hours as cyclonic storm "Roanu" skirts the state's coast and makes landfall in Bangladesh by next Friday, the Met office said on Saturday. Roanu is likely to move along Bengal coast and cross Bangladesh coast close to Chittagong by Saturday evening and inundate low-lying areas of coastal districts, said the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC). Agartala, Guwahati ,Kolkata received around 23 to 30mm of rain since last night which is significant," an official at the RMC here said in Kolkata . People had to wade through ankle-deep to knee-deep water in city pockets such as Agartala, Dharmanagar, Sabroom, Kailashahar as continuous drizzle over Friday night flooded the areas. Manik Sarkar govt's poor planning with concrete covering of all Agartala drains turned Tripura's capital into a stagnant water hub breeding water-borne diseases.

In Bengal Sundarbans archipelago, flooding was reported at several islands, spanning both North and South 24-Parganas districts, as the depression hovered close to the Sagar Island.

The Met office has warned storm surges of about 1 to 1.5 metre would inundate low lying areas of coastal districts of Bengal on Saturday.

Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the seas for fishing as sea condition is likely to be "high to very high" along and off north Odisha and Bengal coasts during next 12 hours and likely to become rough to very rough in subsequent 12 hours, the Met office warned.

The Disaster Management Group of the Kolkata Police is on standby. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed the state chief secretary of the developments.

According to the IMD, the cyclonic storm "Roanu" over northwest Bay of Bengal moved east-northeastwards at a speed of 25 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 5.30 am on May 21 over northwest Bay of Bengal near, about 130 km southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal), 160 km southsouthwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 320 km west-southwest of Chittagong (Bangladesh).

"The system is likely to move east-northeastwards skirting West Bengal coast and cross Bangladesh coast close to Chittagong by evening of today (May 21) as a cyclonic storm," the IMD said.

Private sector weather forecaster Skymet predicted Roanu to make a landfall over Bangladesh between evening of May 21 and early morning of May 22.

Cyclonic storm 'Roanu' will affect Tripura's millions of residents on sunday as heavy rains contnue on Saturday.