Low Pressure Forms Over Bay, Very Heavy Rain To Lash Odisha Till July 24

Bhubaneswar: A low pressure area has formed over northwest Bay Of Bengal off Odisha coast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Thursday.

The system is likely to pass over Odisha while moving in west-northwest direction in next two days and trigger light/moderate widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely across the state till July 24.

“Under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts, a low pressure area has formed over northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast. It is likely to move west-northwestwards across Odisha during next 2 days,” according to the IMD’s morning bulletin.

While the state capital has been experiencing continuous rain since morning, light to moderate rain, thundershower with one or two intense spells of rain is likely to lash Khurda, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Rayagada, Angul, Dhenkanal and Boudh this afternoon. There is a possibility of waterlogging in low-lying areas, occasionally poor visibility and traffic disruption in urban areas.

Notably, there is a forecast for heavy to very heavy rain (7 to 20 cm) at isolated places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal during the next 24 hours (July 20). Heavy rain (7 to 11 cm) is also expected at one or two places in Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Puri, Gajapati, Rayagada, Cuttack, Boudh, Sonepur, Balangir and Bargarh. Orange alert of heavy to very heavy rain continues for next few days.

The IMD had earlier warned of inundation in low-lying areas and roads in some blocks of Malkangiri and Koraput districts due to continuation of heavy rain activity in the state in the next few days. There was also a possibility of landslides in vulnerable hilly areas – Malkangiri, Koraput, Nawarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Ganjam and Gajapati.

Squally weather with gusty surface wind speed reaching 40 to 50 kmph is very likely along & off Odisha coast, northwest adjoining West central Bay of Bengal from July 20-22, it further said.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along & off Odisha coast, Northwest adjoining West Central Bay of Bengal during this period.