Bhubaneswar: Heavy rain pounded several parts of Odisha as the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moved towards the coast on Thursday.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the deep depression over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bay of Bengal moved north-north-westwards with a speed of 17 kmph and lay centred about 190 km south-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha.
The system was 190 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, and 230 km south of Puri and 310 km south-southwest of Paradip in Odisha.
It is likely to continue to move north-north-westwards and cross Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh coasts between Gopalpur and Paradip by night of October 2, the IMD said.
Notably, the depression over the Bay had intensified into a deep depression on Wednesday night and moved towards the coast, triggering heavy rain in Odisha.
Heavy rain warning issued by the weather agency for the next few days prompted the state government to deploy men and machinery in identified vulnerable districts to tackle the situation, an official said.
Almost all parts of the state have received heavy rain since Wednesday, especially the coastal and southern region. The IMD issued an alert for heavy rains for all the 30 districts of Odisha on Thursday.
The downpour may disrupt traditional Durga Puja and Dussehra celebrations, including Ravan Dahan events.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls along accompanied by thunderstorm/ lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely in the districts of Jagatsinghpur and Puri.
Orange warning of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall along with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph has been issued for one or two places in Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Nayagarh, Gajapati, Ganjam, Mayurbhanj, Khurda, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore and Kendrapada.
Isolated heavy rainfall along with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph is also likely in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Bargarh, Sonepur, Boudh, Angul and Keonjhar districts. There is also a warning of thunderstorm/lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph for one or two places in Nuapada, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Deogarh.
The intensity of rain may gradually decrease thereafter.
On October 3, heavy to very heavy rainfall along with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph may occur at one or two places in Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Bargarh districts.
Heavy rainfall along with thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is also likely at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Balangir and Kalahandi. Thunderstorm/lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may also occur at one or two places in Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Bhadrak Balasore Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Malkangiri, Angul, Koraput, Rayagada, Boudh, and Kandhamal.
Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 gusting to 60 kmph may also prevail over central & adjoining north Bay of Bengal on October 1. It would gradually increase, becoming 55-65 gusting to 75 kmph over westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal from noon of October 2 noon to October 3 early morning.
Though there is no heavy rain warning thereafter, thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may continue in districts of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati on October 4-5.
The IMD has also cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea until October 3, warning of rough conditions in the Bay of Bengal. Coastal areas are likely to witness squally winds and turbulent seas during the period.
