Rain may spoil Dussehra celebrations in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Rain is likely to wash out Durga Puja celebrations with the regional office of India Meteorological Department (IMD) here on Thursday predicting shower in coastal and interior areas of the state till October 2 under the influence of a cyclonic circulation over West-Central and North-East Bay of Bengal.

“The upper air cyclonic circulation over West-Central Bay of Bengal and neighborhood coastal areas towards south of Odisha and North of Andhra persists and now extends up to 3.6 km above mean sea level. Another cyclonic circulation at North-East of Bay of Bengal is also brewing and is currently effective 5.8 km above mean sea level. Due to these two low pressure systems, several parts of Odisha will receive rainfall in the next 24 hours,” director of the regional Met office Sarat Sahu said.

Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places over North Odisha and thunderstorm with lightning at a few places over coastal Odisha during this period, he said.

“Bhubaneswar recorded around 63 mm of rain by Thursday afternoon. The trend will continue till October 2. However, rainfall could decline in the next two days in some areas and then increase after 30th October,” he added.