Bhubaneswar: Even as joy, enthusiasm and spiritual fervour gripped Odisha for Ganesh Puja celebrations on Saturday, the festivities are likely to get dampened in several parts of the state due to the formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued yellow warning of heavy rain in several areas of the state during the next four days under the influence of the Low-pressure.
The festive season kicked off in the state amid great enthusiasm and fervour to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with pomp and gaiety.
The festival, held on the fourth day of the ‘Sukla Pakshya’ in the Odia month of Bhadraba, is being observed by people from all strata of society across the state.
The weather agency has stated that the state may experience heavy to very heavy rain till September 10 under the influence of the low-pressure area, which is expected to intensify into depression over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Gangetic West Bengal, north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts around September 9.
While some areas of the state have already been experiencing heavy rain since Friday, the weather agency has said may continue at isolated places in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Puri, Khurda, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur.
Similarly, thunderstorm with lightning is also likely at isolated places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Angul, Dhenkanal and Sambalpur till the morning of Sunday.
On Sunday, heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) may occur at isolated places in Sambalpur and Angul. Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places in Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Sonepur, Boudh, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Jajpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Dhenkanal.