Cyclonic Storm Phethai To Trigger Heavy Rainfall In South, West Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Isolated heavy rainfall is likely in most parts of southern and western Odisha in the next 24 hours under the influence of a cyclonic storm Phethai over the over the south-west and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in a release on Sunday.

According to the release, the cyclonic storm Phethai formed over the south-west and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal yesterday, has moved further in the north-north-west direction with a speed of 16 kmph during the last 6 hours and lay centred over south-west and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal about 460 km north-east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) and 430 km east-south-east of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 560 km south-south-east of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 600 km south-south-east Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) at around 8.30 am this morning.

It is very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours and move in the north-north-west direction and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kakinada on Monday afternoon.

However, due to unfavourable environmental conditions, it is likely to weaken slightly before landfall and cross the coast as a cyclonic storm.

Under its influence, isolated heavy rainfall is likely to occur over the districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput in the next 24 hours (December 16), isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur over the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Gajapati districts in the subsequent 24 hours (December 17) and isolated heavy rainfall in Ganjam, Puri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Bargarh, Balangir, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Sundargarh in the subsequent 12 hours till 8.30 am on December 18.

Under the influence of the cyclonic storm, strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph is likely to blow along and off the south Odisha coast on Monday.

The IMD has advised the fishermen not to venture along and off the south Odisha coast on December 17 and into the deep sea areas in the south-west and the west-central Bay of Bengal while those who are out in deep sea areas are advised to return to the coasts by tonight.

It has also advised the state government to hoist the distant cautionary signal no-2 at all the ports.