Low Pressure Off Odisha Coast Becomes More Marked, May Turn Into Depression In 36 Hrs

Bhubaneswar: The low-pressure area over westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh & South Odisha has became more marked, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Friday.

“It is likely to move further west-northwestwards towards north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts, intensify into a depression over westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal during the next 36 hours,” it added.

Under its influence, Odisha may experience fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall during the week. The weather agency has warned of isolated extremely heavy rainfall in the state on August 30 and very heavy rainfall on August 31.

THE FORECAST

There is a red warning of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) for Malkangiri, Koraput and Gajapati districts during the next 24 hours. Heavy to very heavy rainfall may also continue at isolated places in Rayagada, Ganjam, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi with  heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) in Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, Kandhamal, Sonepur, Bargarh, Nayagarh, Khhurda, Puri, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur districts.

Also Read: Schools In 2 Dists Closed Today Amid Extremely Heavy Rain Alert With LoPAR Off Odisha Coast

The downpour can lead to flash flood/waterlogging in low-lying areas, inundation of agriculture field and mudslides/landslides in vulnerable hilly areas. “There is also a possibility of some damage to kutcha road, wall collapse of vulnerable kutcha houses, waterlogging in underpass road and occasional reduction of visibility causing traffic congestion in urban areas. The rains may also lead to significant rise in water level of rivers,” the IMD said.

Squally weather with surface wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph may prevail over Central Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Bay of Bengal on August 29 and along and off Odisha coasts during till September 1. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off Odisha coasts from August 30 to September 1.

On August 31, there is an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur. Heavy rainfall may also occur in Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Gajapati and Balangir districts.

Heavy rainfall may continue at isolated places in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur on September 1, it added.