Bhubaneswar: With the possible cyclone Montha set to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday predicted rainfall of varied intensity in several parts of Odisha in the next few days.
As per a special bulletin issued by the IMC, the depression over the Bay of Bengal lies about 1030 km south-southeast of Gopalpur. The system is likely to move west-north-westwards and become a deep depression by Sunday, and further intensify into a cyclonic storm by the morning of October 27.
The storm is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28. It is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, around Kakinada, during the evening or night of October 28. During landfall, the system is expected to pack maximum sustained wind speeds of 90-100 km per hour, gusting to 110 kmph.
Though the probable cyclone is set to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha is expected to experience significant and widespread adverse weather effects, including heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in several districts. The IMD has issued red, orange and yellow warnings of rain and high-speed wind for different districts from October 27 till the morning of October 31.
On October 27-28, heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) is likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagarh, Gajapati, Ganjam, and Kandhamal. The IMD has issued an orange warning for these districts.
Similarly, a yellow warning of heavy rain (7 to 11cm) has been issued for some places of Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapada, and Jagatsinghpur districts.
On October 28-29, a red warning of scattered heavy to very heavy falls (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) has been issued for the districts of Malakangiri, Koraput, Rayagarh, Gajpati, and Ganjam.
Likewise, orange warning of heavy to very heavy rain (7 to 20cm) has been issued for Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhmal, Nayagarh, Khurda and Puri districts.
Yellow warning has been issued for Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Bouadh, Angul, Dhenkanla, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, and Mayurbhanj
On October 29-30, Red warning (Take Action) Scattered heavy to very heavy falls (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Malakangiri, Koraput, Nawarangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagarh. 3
Orange warning has been issued for the districts of Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, Kandhamal, Gajapati, and Ganjam.
Yellow warning has been sounded for the districts of Bargarh, Sonepur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur.
On October 30-31, the weather agency has issued yellow warning of heavy rain (7 to 11cm) in the districts of Jarsuguda, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj.
As per weather forecast, squally weather is expected to prevail along and off the south Odisha coast from the evening of October 26, with wind speeds increasing significantly to 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph by October 28 along the south Odisha coast.
The IMD has issued a warning to fishermen, advising them not to venture into the southwest Bay of Bengal and along & off the Odisha coast from October 26 to 29. Those already at sea have been directed to return to shore immediately.
The IMD has hoisted Distant Cautionary Signal No. I (DC-1) at all ports of Odisha.
With around 15 districts likely to be affected by the storm, the state government is taking precautionary measures, and residents in the alert zones have been urged to remain vigilant and follow instructions from official channels as the situation develops.