Deep Depression Over Bay: Red Alert For Seven Odisha Dists, Heavy Rainfall Forecast

Bhubaneswar: With the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal heading towards Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday sounded a red warning for seven districts in south Odisha.

The national weather agency, in a special bulletin, said the depression over the northeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal has moved westwards with a speed of 12 kmph in the last six hours and intensified into a deep depression. It now lay centred over north and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal, about 510 km east-southeast of Gopalpur and 590 km east-northeast of Kalingapatnam.

The system is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and move nearly west-north-west and cross north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts between Vishakhapatnam and Gopalpur around Kalingapatnam by September 26 evening.

Under its influence, there will be heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy rainfall in most parts of south coastal, south interior and, central coastal districts.

The IMD further said the cyclonic storm will cause flash flood/waterlogging and inundation in the low-lying areas, some damage to informal or kutcha road, wall collapse of vulnerable kutcha houses, waterlogging in underpass roads and occasional reduction of visibility causing traffic congestion in urban areas.

Apart from this, there will be a rise in water level in all major rivers which will damage horticulture and standing crops in some areas due to inundation.

Due to the inclement weather, fishermen are advised not to venture into sea along and off the Odisha coasts, northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal from Saturday afternoon September 27 as the wind speed of 75-85 kmph gusting at 95 kmph will make the condition very rough.

Besides, an advisory has been sent to all ports of Odisha to hoist Local Cautionary signal No-1 (DC-1).

In view of the heavy rainfall, red, orange and yellow warnings have been issued for the following districts.

September 25
(Yellow warning)
Heavy rainfall at isolated places over the districts of Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Kandhamal and Cuttack.

September 26
(Red warning)
Heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places over the districts of Kandhamal, Ganjam, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Gajapati.

(Orange warning)
Heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over the districts of Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh and Kalahandi.

(Yellow warning)
Heavy rainfall at isolated places over the districts of Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Boudh, Sonepur, Balangir and Nuapada.

September 27
(Orange warning)
Heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over the districts of Kalahandi, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur.

September 28
(Yellow warning)
Heavy rainfall at one or two places over the districts of Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Kalahandi and Nuapada.