Bhubaneswar: Odisha has been put on high alert with the first post-monsoon cyclone brewing over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) region.
According to Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre director Manorama Mohanty, the deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal is expected to turn into a cyclone soon and may intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28.
It is very likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during evening/night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with sustained wind speed of 90 to 100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, triggering heavy rainfall across southern coastal districts of Odisha.
A red warning of scattered heavy to very heavy falls (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) has been issued for Malakangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam on October 28, and Malakangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Rayagada on October 29,. The wind speed is likely to reach 60 to 70 kmph gusting up to 80 kmph in these districts.
Similarly, heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) may occur at isolated places in the districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda and Puri on October 28, and Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, Kandhamal, Gajapati and Ganjam on October 29. These districts may witness comparatively milder winds ranging from 40 to 50 kmph gusting up to 60 kmph.
Yellow warning of heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) has been issued for Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Angul, Dhenkanla, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Deogarh on October 28, and Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapada on October 29 with wind speed reaching 40 to 50 kmph, gusting to 50 kmph.
The IMD has also warned of squally weather with wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph may prevail along & off south Odisha coast from October 26 evening. It is likely to increase to 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph from October 27 evening and becoming gale wind speed reaching, 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from October 28 evening to early hours of October 29. The wind speed may decrease gradually thereafter, becoming 45- 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph by October 29 evening.
Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph may also prevail from October 28 evening to early hours of October 29 along and off north Odisha coast, becoming 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph till October 29 evening and decrease gradually thereafter.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into Southwest, adjoining central Bay of Bengal, along & off Odisha coast till October 29.