Bhubaneswar: Cyclonic storm Gulab, which was centred around 140 km east-south-east of Gopalpur over north-west and adjoining the west-central Bay of Bengal (BoB) on Sunday morning, is likely to cross south Odisha coast this evening, according to the Centre of Environment and Climate (CEC), SOA.
“The system had been moving at a speed of 18 km per hour during the last three hours while changing its course frequently. It is likely to cross the coast between Chikiti and Chatrapur close to Rangeilunda in Ganjam district this evening,” said CEC Director of CEC Dr Sarat Chandra Sahu.
After crossing the coast, its westward movement would continue with the same intensity for the next six to 12 hours, he added.
In its 4 PM bulletin, India Meteorological Department (IMD), however, said that the cyclone is likely to cross north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur, as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained speed of 75-85 kmph gusting to 95 mph by midnight. The system was about 100 km eastsoutheast of Gopalpur and 105 km eastnortheast of Kalingapatnam at 2.30 pm, it added.
Under its impact, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Balangir and continue till Monday afternoon. Moderate to heavy precipitation could be experienced in neighbouring districts during this period, Sahu said.
He said wind speed reaching 75 km per hour might be experienced in Ganjam, Gajapati and Puri districts while gusty wind of 45 to 55 km per hour could be observed in the districts of Khurda, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts.
Sahu further said a fresh a low-pressure area (LOPRA) was likely to form over the Bay this week.
