Bhubaneswar: A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal within the next 24 hours and may intensify into a cyclonic system, prompting the Odisha government to step up preparedness, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said.
While weather experts have indicated the possibility of further intensification, including into a severe cyclone, the system’s likely intensity and potential impact are yet to be established. A clearer assessment is expected by October 25, officials said.
Appealing to people not to panic, Pujari said the state government was closely monitoring the evolving weather situation in coordination with the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
“We are preparing by taking the European models as an indication. We are in constant contact with the IMD. A low-pressure area will form and later intensify into a depression, and it is expected to touch the Andhra Pradesh coast,” the minister said.
However, the IMD has not yet made a definitive assessment of the system’s potential severity and the extent of possible damage, he said, adding that a clearer picture would emerge by Friday.
“The people of Odisha need not panic; the government is prepared,” Pujari said.
The possible development of the system over the Bay of Bengal is being closely watched, with its future movement and intensification expected to become clearer as fresh meteorological assessments emerge.
