 A near @-@ equatorial trough spawned a low pressure area on December 22 in the central Bay of Bengal . A circulation within the system developed into a depression on December 23 about 500 km ( 310 mi ) east @-@ southeast of Sri Lanka . A low @-@ latitude storm , the system organized while moving slowly westward . On December 24 , the depression strengthened into a deep depression , and the following day into a cyclonic storm , the same day that the JTWC classified it as Tropical Cyclone 04B . An eye developed in the center of the blossoming convection , and the system rapidly intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm on December 26 . According to the IMD , the cyclone attained peak winds of 165 km / h ( 105 mph ) , and made landfall at that intensity along eastern Sri Lanka near Trincomalee around 12 : 00 UTC on December 26 . The JTWC assessed lower winds of 120 km / h ( 75 mph ) . Weakening quickly over land , the storm emerged into the Gulf of Mannar on December 27 and failed to restrengthen . Later that day , it made a second landfall in extreme southern India near Thoothukudi as a cyclonic storm . Continuing westward , the system emerged into the Arabian Sea on December 28 as a depression , and degenerated into a remnant low the next day . The low merged with a trough and spread rainfall northward through India . 
