Bhubaneswar: A well-marked low pressure area over the westcentral and adjoining eastcentral Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a depression within the next 24 hours and a deep depression during the subsequent 24 hours, before moving west-northwestwards towards the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coasts around the morning of September 23, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.
The weather system is expected to trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across several parts of Odisha, with the IMD issuing an Orange Warning for September 22-23 and a Red Warning for September 23-25 in parts of southern Odisha. On September 23-24, heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places is likely in Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam, while Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri face a similar Red Warning for September 24-25.
For September 22-23, an Orange Warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall has been issued for Balasore, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Kataka, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha and Nayagada. A Yellow Warning for heavy rainfall is also in force for several other districts.
The system is also expected to bring squally winds and rough to very rough seas. Winds along and off the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coasts are likely to reach 55-65 kmph, gusting to 75 kmph, from the morning of September 23 through the evening of September 24. Rough to very rough sea conditions are likely along the Odisha, north Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal coasts during this period.
The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea in the affected areas and asked those already at sea to return to the coast by the evening of September 21.
The bulletin warned of possible waterlogging, localised flooding, landslides, disruption to road and rail traffic, damage to vulnerable structures, trees and power lines, besides possible disruption to marine and inland water transport.
Odisha recorded rainfall of up to 6 cm at Banaigarh in Sundaragada and Barmul in Nayagada during the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on September 21. Athagada, Suliapada, Telkoi, Rajghat, Jaleswar and Rajnagar recorded 5 cm each.
