IMD issues low pressure alert in Bay of Bengal; Indian Coast Guard warns fishermen

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) warned local fishermen in West Bengal on Friday about a low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal. The warning was issued via weather broadcasting alerts on Very High Frequency (VHF) radio. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that a depression that has intensified in the east-central and bordering northeast Bay of Bengal will bring heavy rainfall around the coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in the next three days. 

As per a special bulletin, the IMD noted that a low-pressure area had formed on Friday morning and has now strengthened into a well-formed low-pressure area across east-central and bordering northeast Bay of Bengal.   

The IMD tweeted, “Depression over East-central & adjoining Northeast Bay of Bengal: Pre-Cyclone Watch for north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts. (sic)”  

The IMD bulletin goes on to say that fishermen around the West Bengal coastline are warned not to go deep-sea fishing from September 25 until further notice. Those who are already in the deepwater were instructed to return to the coast by the night of September 24. 

In another tweet, IMD wrote that by the September 26 evening, the depression will intensify into a deep depression across northern and central Bay of Bengal, and is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm over the following 12 hours, crossing south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coastlines near Kalingapatnam. A yellow warning and a cyclone alert have been issued for north Andhra Pradesh and adjacent south Odisha coastlines.  

IMD expects heavy showers in Andhra, Odisha on September 26 & 27

As per IMD, rainfall will be very widespread with isolated heavy showers across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, and Telangana from September 25 to September 28. Isolated extremely heavy rains are also expected in Odisha on September 26 and September 27. 

Heavy rainfall is expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam in Puducherry on September 26. The IMD informed that moderate to extensive rainfall is expected, with isolated heavy rains in east Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Goa over the next five days.  

Meanwhile, West Bengal's precipitation levels have surpassed numerous benchmarks this year as monsoon storms from the Bay of Bengal's low pressure continued to pour in east and central India. Since June 1, the state's southern areas have seen a 20% increase in precipitation. Even as the state reaches the final ten days of the Monsoon season, active heavy downpours remain throughout the region.  

(Image: PTI/ANI)