attained gale-force winds and was named Mala the next day. Conditions for strengthening improved markedly on April 27 and Mala subsequently underwent rapid intensification. Subsequently, the cyclone attained its peak intensity. Early on April 28, the cyclone had estimated winds of and a barometric pressure of 954 mbar (hPa; ). The JTWC considered Mala to have been slightly stronger, classifying it as a Category 4-equivalent cyclone. Steady weakening ensued thereafter and the storm made landfall in Myanmar's Rakhine State on April 29. Rapid dissipation took place after it made landfall and Mala was last noted early the next morning. In contrast to Mala's intensity, damage was relatively minimal across Myanmar due to adequate early warnings, while timely and effective evacuations minimized loss of life along the coast. The greatest damage resulted from a thunderstorm near Yangon on April 28 that spawned a possible tornado in an industrial zone. A total of 586 homes were damaged there. Just outside the city in the Hinthada District, a flash flood killed at least 18 people. Overall, the storm claimed 37 lives in the country and left US$6.7 million in damage. In the wake of Mala, the Red Cross distributed relief aid to affected residents while local officials set up shelters to house those left homeless. Government and social organizations donated 5.4 million kyat (US$4,320) in cash to survivors in the Ayeyarwady Region. Deep Depression BOB 02 In late June, an area of disturbed weather persisted over the northern Bay of Bengal, unusually far south for a monsoonal system for this time of year. Convergence from the monsoon enhanced convection to the southwest of a developing low-pressure area; however, strong wind shear was expected to prevent tropical cyclogenesis. However, the system rapidly organized into a deep depression by July 2, at which time it was situated 240 km (150 mi) south of Calcutta, India. At 1200 UTC, the JTWC classified the cyclone as a tropical storm with one-minute sustained winds of . This marked only the second time since 1981 that the JTWC had monitored a July storm with gale-force winds in the basin. Weak steering currents prompted the a slow, westward track and just three hours later, the cyclone made landfall between Paradeep and Chandabali in Odisha. A pressure of 982 mb (hPa; 29.00 inHg), the lowest in relation to the storm, was measured in Bhubaneswar as the deep depression moved through. Once