With the formation of a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to intensify into a low pressure and subsequently get the shape of a depression, the IMD on Monday forecast intense rainfall for two days from Tuesday. The cyclonic circulation lays over the Bay of Bengal off the coast of south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh.
“Under its influence, a Low-Pressure Area is likely to form over the same region.... The system is likely to concentrate into a depression around July 26,” the IMD said in its evening bulletin.
The IMD bulletin said heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) is likely to occur in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nawarangapur, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam till Tuesday morning with light to moderate rain or thundershower at most places in the south interior Odisha.
The IMD has also issued an Orange warning (Be Prepared) for the next two days. It said that on July 25, heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) may occur at isolated places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts.
It issued a Yellow warning (Be updated) of heavy rainfall in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Balangir, Nayagarh, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Mayurbhanj districts. Light to moderate rain or thundershower is also a possibility at most places in south and coastal Odisha and at many places in other parts of the state, the IMD said.
On July 26, heavy to very heavy rainfall may occur at isolated places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapad and Balangir. There is also a forecast for heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) at one or two places in Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Angul, Sambalpur, Sonepur, and Bargarh.
Light to moderate rain or thundershower is very likely to occur at most places in the state on this day. Due to low pressure and subsequent depression along with strong monsoon flow, squally weather with gusty surface wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph is to be experienced along and off Odisha coast between July 25 and 27.
The weather office also asked fishermen not to venture into the sea during this period. The IMD warned of water logging in low-laying areas, poor visibility during intense spells of rain and traffic congestion in urban areas and the possibility of wall collapse of vulnerable kutcha houses.
It also said that there is a possibility of landslides in vulnerable hilly areas of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts. Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahoo has told all district collectors to be on alert, particularly in the districts for which orange and yellow warnings were issued by the IMD.
