IMD forecasts heavy rain in Odisha as low-pressure area over Bay likely to turn into depression

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday warned of heavy to very heavy rain in Odisha over the next two days as a low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal is likely to turn into a depression.

The low-pressure area, which was formed on Saturday morning, is very likely to concentrate into a depression off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts in the next 48 hours, the department said.

Then, it is likely to move across north Odisha and north Chhattisgarh in the subsequent two-three days, the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar said in a release.

Wind speeds reaching 45-55 kmph and gusting up to 65 kmph are very likely along and off the Odisha coast over the next three days. Sea conditions will be rough and fishermen were advised to return to the coast from the deep sea by Saturday night and not to venture into the sea till Tuesday, the Met Centre said.

It issued an orange warning of isolated heavy to very heavy rain and extremely heavy showers at one or two places on Sunday and Monday.

The department forecast heavy to very heavy downpour in Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Bhadrak districts on Sunday. There is also a likelihood of heavy rainfall in Ganjam, Balasore, Nayagarh, Angul, Boudh, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Bolangir and Mayurbhanj districts.

On Monday, heavy to very heavy rainfall will occur at a few places with isolated extremely heavy downpour in Angul, Deogarh, Keonjhar, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Bargarh, Bolangir and Subarnapur, the weatherman said.

It also issued a yellow warning of heavy downpour in Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Boudh, Nuapada, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Balasore and Kendrapara districts.

In the last 24 hours till 8.30 AM, light to moderate rain has occurred at most places in Odisha, with heavy rainfall at one or two places in Khurda, Sundargarh, Bolangir and Kalahandi.

Banapur in Khurda received 105 mm of rain during the period, followed by 90 mm at Bonaigarh in Sundargarh, and 86 mm at Saintala in Bolangir, the MeT bulletin said.