Bhubaneswar: Odisha is likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts from November 18 as a depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by November 17, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Sunday.
The system, centred over the southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal at 8.30 am November 15, lay about 1,130 km south-southeast of Gopalpur.
Moving north-northwestwards, it is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm over the central parts of the south and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal November 16 and further strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay November 17.
The system is subsequently expected to intensify further and move northwestwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast over the next two days.
According to the IMD’s forecast, Gajapati, Ganjam and Puri districts are likely to receive heavy rainfall November 18, with an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall in these districts November 19.
On November 19, a yellow warning for heavy rainfall has also been issued for Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Kataka, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamala, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Khordha and Nayagada.
The weather system is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam districts November 20, for which an orange warning has been issued.
Several other districts, including Puri, Khordha, Kataka, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Baleshwar, are also under a yellow warning for heavy rainfall.
For November 21, the IMD has issued an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall in Sundaragada, Jharsuguda and Baragada districts, while a yellow warning has been sounded for Baleshwar, Sambalpur, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur and Balangir.
Squally weather with wind speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, is likely along and off the Odisha coast from the morning of November 17.
Winds along and off the south Odisha coast may strengthen to 50-60 kmph, with gusts up to 70 kmph, between November 18 and the morning of November 20.
The sea is likely to remain rough to very rough along the Odisha coast from November 17 to 21.
The IMD has advised fishermen operating in the sea to return to the coast by November 15 and refrain from venturing into the southwest Bay of Bengal from November 15 to 18, the central Bay from November 16 to 20 and along and off the south Odisha coast from November 17 to 20.
Fishermen have also been advised against venturing into the northwest Bay of Bengal on November 19 and 20.
Port, shipping and offshore operators have been asked to review their preparedness and closely monitor subsequent weather advisories.