Bhubaneswar: Odisha government Saturday cancelled holidays for its employees and placed disaster response teams on standby as a weather system over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm and move toward the north Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha coasts.
A well-marked low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal Saturday and is forecast to strengthen into a depression, followed by a deep depression and then a cyclonic storm by October 26, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The system is likely to move west-northwestward and approach the north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining southern Odisha coasts early October 28.
The IMD has forecast increasing rainfall activity in Odisha from October 26, with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely October 27 and extremely heavy rain possible October 28 and 29.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the system could intensify into a depression Saturday, a deep depression Sunday and a cyclonic storm October 26.
Wind speeds could reach 70-80 kmph, with gusts up to 90 kmph, by the morning of October 26. The IMD has not yet issued a forecast for wind speeds at the time of landfall.
A red warning has been issued for Puri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea as a precaution.
Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and National Disaster Response Force teams have been kept ready for emergency deployment, officials said.
