Bhubaneswar: A low-pressure area has formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Odisha-West Bengal coasts, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to forecast widespread rainfall across Odisha over the next seven days, with isolated spells of heavy to extremely heavy rain and multiple district-specific warnings.
According to the IMD’s Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, the low-pressure area formed under the influence of a cyclonic circulation over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Odisha coast. The associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and is likely to become more marked over the next two to three days.
The weather system is expected to trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across many parts of Odisha, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall particularly over southern districts.
An Orange Warning has been issued for Thursday (July 2-3) for Bargarh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri districts, while heavy rainfall is also likely in several coastal and northern districts under a Yellow Warning.
The IMD has sounded a Red Warning for Koraput and Malkangiri on July 3-4 and July 4-5, forecasting isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls. Orange warnings have also been issued during this period for Rayagada, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, and later for Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri and Cuttack.
From July 5 to July 7, Keonjhar and Angul are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall under Orange Warnings, while Yellow Warnings remain in force for several districts across coastal, western and southern Odisha. On July 7-8 and July 8-9, isolated heavy rainfall is expected mainly over Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Angul districts.
The IMD has also warned that sea conditions will remain rough to very rough along and off the Odisha coast from July 2 to July 6. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during this period. Local Cautionary Signal No. III has been ordered to be hoisted at Paradip and Dhamra ports.
Meanwhile, rainfall activity has already intensified in several parts of the state. During the 24 hours ending at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Ambabhona in Bargarh recorded the highest rainfall at 18 cm, followed by Jujumura in Sambalpur (13 cm), Atabira (12 cm), Batli and Birmaharajpur (11 cm each), while several other locations recorded between 6 cm and 10 cm of rainfall.
