Depression likely to bring heavy rain in most parts of Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is bracing for a wet spell for the next four days as the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into a depression on Sunday, the IMD said.

The system now lies as a well-marked low-pressure area over northwest and adjoining Central Bay of Bengal, it said in a bulletin.

“It is likely to move nearly northwards and intensify into a depression over northwest Bay of Bengal off north Odisha-Gangetic West Bengal coasts on September 8. Thereafter, it is likely to move westnorthwestwards across Gangetic West Bengal, north Odisha, Jharkhand and adjoining north Chhattisgarh during subsequent three days,” the IMD said.

The state has experienced heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours, with the highest downpour of 81 mm at Khairmal in Boud district, followed by 79 mm at Gosani in Gajapati, the Met office said.

Heavy rain (7 cm to 11 cm) is likely to occur at one or two places in Puri, Khurdha, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri during the next 24 hours, the bulletin said.

The weather office also issued an ‘orange’ warning (be prepared) for heavy to very heavy rain at one or two places over Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, and Koraput districts on Sunday.

A ‘yellow’ warning (be updated) for heavy rain has also been issued for one or two places of Kendrapada, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nabarangpur districts on Sunday.

The IMD also forecast rain in most parts of the state for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

It said that under the influence of the possible depression, squally weather with strong surface wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is very likely to prevail over northwest Bay of Bengal, adjoining West Central Bay of Bengal, along and off Odisha coasts during September 8-11.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast, northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Central Bay of Bengal during the period.