Bhubaneswar: Odisha is likely to witness heavy rain for three days from October 27 as a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression Saturday, IMD said.
The weather office issued ‘orange’ (be prepared to take action) and ‘yellow’ (be aware) warnings for several districts of the state.
India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its latest statement, said the well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal “moved nearly westwards and concentrated into a depression and lay centred about 420 kilometres west-southwest of Port Blair and 1,040 kms south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha)”.
“It is likely to move west-north-westwards and intensify further into a deep depression by Sunday and into a cyclonic storm over the southwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal by Tuesday morning. Thereafter, it is likely to move northwestwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast during the subsequent 48 hours,” the weather bulletin said.
Depression is a weather condition followed by a low-pressure area and preceded by a cyclonic storm, a scientist at the IMD at Bhubaneswar Centre said.
According to Manorama Mohanty, the director of Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, coastal Andhra Pradesh may experience the most significant impact, while Odisha is likely to witness “heavy to very heavy rain, gusty winds, and localised thunderstorms”.
Sea conditions would remain very rough during the cyclone, and therefore, fishermen are advised not to venture into the “southwest and adjoining central Bay of Bengal and along and off Tamil Nadu–Andhra Pradesh coasts till October 29, and the Odisha coast from October 26 to 29”.
Along and off the Odisha coast, squally winds of 35–45 kmph are likely from October 26, increasing to 50–60 kmph by October 28–29, it said.
Odisha’s revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said that all the district collectors have been directed to remain prepared for any situation.
The collectors of landslide-prone districts such as Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur are advised to keep a watch on the situation and undertake evacuation of people to safer places if required, the minister added.
PTI
