Heavy to very heavy rainfall in 8 Odisha districts: MeT

With formation of a Low Pressure Area (LPA) over Northwest Bay of Bengal, IMD on Monday forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in eight Odisha districts in next 24 hours.

"Heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely to occur at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm) at one or two places in the districts of Jajpur, Kendrapada, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh and Bargarh," the IMD said in a fresh bulletin.

The weather office also said that the LPA is likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 24 hours.

Due to the well marked low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal adjoining areas of West Bengal and Odisha coasts, squally weather with gusty wind speed reaching 40 to 50 kmph likely to prevail over North Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood, the IMD said.

Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea along and off Odisha coast and North Bay of Bengal and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal during next 48 hours, it said.

Stating that moderate rain/ thundershower very likely to occur at most places over the districts of Odisha, the IMD issued red warning (take action) in eight districts.

Earlier, the state government has already put all the districts including the eight identified districts under alert in view of the possible flooding due to heavy to very heavy rainfall.

The IMD also issued an Orange Warning (be prepared) for 15 other districts where heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely (less than 20 cm) to occur.

The identified 15 districts are: Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khurdha, Puri, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.

It also issued Yellow Warning (be updated) for seven other districts like Nawarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Ganjam and Nayagarh where heavy rainfall very likely to occur at one or two places.

However, the IMD withdrew red warning for Tuesday and said light to moderate rain/ thundershower very likely to occur at most places over the districts of Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Nawarangpur, Bargarh, Nuapara, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj.