Bhubaneswar: The Deep Depression over Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal weakened into a Depression on Friday.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 20 kmph during past 6 hours, and was about 60 km west-southwest of Tangail (Bangladesh), 110 west-northwest of Dhaka (Bangladesh), 120 km northeast to Berhampore (India) and 300 km west-southwest of Shillong (India) at 5.30 am.
It is very likely to move nearly north-northeastwards and weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area during the next 24 hours.
A red alert has been issued for the northeastern states for heavy to very heavy and very heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm of rain).
The weather agency further stated that scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds speed reaching 40-50 kmph may occur in Odisha till June 1. Isolated heavy rainfall may also occur in the state on May 30.
The IMD has warned of thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph and heavy rainfall at one or two places in Kalahandi, Nuapada, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and Nabarangpur on May 30.
Thunderstorm/lightning with surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is also expected in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Sonepur, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Balangir, Boudh, Bargarh, Kandhamal, Puri, Nayagarh, Khurda, Ganjam, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Nayagarh, Angul, Dhenkanal and Gajapati.
Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph may also prevail along and off Odisha coast till May 30, it added.
Meanwhile, Southwest Monsoon has covered entire Malkangiri, Koraput and Gajapati districts and most parts of Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Ganjam and some parts of Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Khurda and Puri districts.
The Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) of SOA Deemed to be University had earlier said that Odisha may experience a dry period accompanied by rise in temperature between June 1 and 3 after which rainfall is expected to increase with southwest monsoon covering more areas of the state.
