IMD Issues Heavy Rain Warning For Three South Odisha Districts

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday issued an orange warning (heavy to very heavy rainfall) for the three southern Odisha districts of Malkangiri, Koraput and Gajapati.

Duty officer of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, Kishore Beuria said a cyclonic circulation formed over the south-west Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal on Tuesday, has turned into a well-marked low-pressure on Wednesday. It now lies over the west-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining south-west Bay of Bengal. It is very likely to become more marked during the next 24 hours and move north­-north-westwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast and turn into a depression in the next 36 hours.

“Under the influence of the well-marked low pressure, rainfall has started in most parts of South Odisha districts since Tuesday night, while there has been light and continuous rainfall in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar from Wednesday morning,” he informed.

Beuria said the rainfall recorded till 8.30 am on Wednesday was 21.7 mm at Gopalpur and 20 mm in Puri.

He said IMD has issued orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput and Gajapati districts and yellow warning for heavy rainfall at one or two places in Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Kandhamal and Nabarangpur on Wednesday. Besides, there will light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers in Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Puri, Khurda and Cuttack districts, he added.

In view of the heavy rainfall, IMD has issued orange and yellow warning for the following districts.

October 24
(Orange warning)
Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over the districts of Koraput, Gajapati, Ganjam and Puri.

(Yellow warning)
Heavy rainfall at isolated places over the districts of Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Kendrapara and Bhadrak.

October 25
(Orange warning)
Sundargarh, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Keonjhar.

(Yellow warning)
Sonepur, Balangir, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Kalahandi, Angul, Kandhamal, Boudh and Mayurbhanj.

October 26
(Yellow warning)
Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore and Bhadrak.

Due to the inclement weather, the fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off the south Odisha coast during the next 24 hours, Beuria added.

Asked if the rain will affect Diwali festivities in Odisha, the duty officer said rainfall will prevail in the state till October 26, but the weather will remain tentatively dry during Diwali on October 27.

Meanwhile, acting on the IMD forecast, the Revenue and Disaster Management department has asked the collectors of the concerned districts to remain alert and take precautionary measures.