Bhubaneswar: Odisha may experience heavy to very heavy rain till July 29 under the influence of a Depression over coastal West Bengal and adjoining areas of northwest Bay of Bengal & Bangladesh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Friday.
According to the midday bulletin, the Depression over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of coastal West Bengal and Bangladesh moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph during past 3 hours, crossed West Bengal & adjoining Bangladesh coasts between 7.30 am and 8.30 am over coastal West Bengal and adjoining areas of Northwest Bay of Bengal & Bangladesh, about 150 km west-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), about 60 km south-southeast of Canning (West Bengal), 80 km east of Sagar Island (West Bengal) and 100 km south-southeast of Kolkata (West Bengal).
The system is expected to move west–northwestwards across Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining North Odisha and Jharkhand during next 24 hours, it added.
RED WARNING FOR TODAY
Extremely heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph is likely at one or two places in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar on July 25.
Heavy to very heavy rain along with thunderstorm/ lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph may also occur at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Sundargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Jharsuguda.
There is also a warning for heavy rain and thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30- 40 kmph for one or two places in Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Boudh, Sonepur, Kandhamal, Balangir, Bargarh, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nuapada and Kalahandi.
Thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may also occur at one or two places in Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nabarangpur and Rayagada.
The IMD further stated that squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph may prevail over North Bay of Bengal, along & off Odisha, West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts for the next 24 hours. All ports in the state have been asked to hoist Local Cautionary Signal No-III (LC-3).
The intensity of rain may gradually decrease thereafter.
On July 26, heavy to very heavy rain along with thunderstorm/ lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may continue at one or two places in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Sundargarh. Heavy rain and thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30- 40 kmph may also occur at one or two places in Bargarh, Deogarh, Keonjhar, Angul, Sonepur, Balangir and Nuapada.
Thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is also likely at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Boudh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri.
On July 27, heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30- 40 kmph may occur at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundargarh. Thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is also likely at one or two places in Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nawarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri.
On July 28, heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30- 40 kmph may continue at one or two places in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj. Thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is also likely at one or two places in Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati.
On July 29, heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30- 40 kmph may occur at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Balasore. 2) Thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is also likely at one or two places in Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati.
Squally wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph may continue to prevail over North Odisha from July 26-29, it added.
In a letter, the Special Relief Commissioner’s Office urged district collectors to keep the administrative machinery ready to face any eventuality.