Odisha may escape cyclonic storm, widespread rainfall expected

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Thursday, but it is likely to skip Odisha and move towards West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts, a senior IMD official said.

The Odisha government has asked all the district administrations to closely watch the development of the cyclonic system, as it is likely to trigger widespread rainfall in several areas, an official said.

Around 15 of the state's 30 districts have been put on alert for any possible waterlogging and flood-like situation, he said.

The deep depression is centred over eastcentral and adjacent southeast Bay of Bengal, about 800 km south-southeast of Paradip and 910 km south-southeast of Sagar Islands in West Bengal, the IMD official said.

The intensification of a low pressure area leads to a depression, which turns into a deep depression after gaining strength and severity, Met Department officials said.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the deep depression is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Thursday, and a severe cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours.

Thereafter, it is likely to move north-northwestwards towards West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts, Mohapatra said, adding, it is unlikely to hit the Odisha coast.

However, coastal parts of Odisha could witness rainfall accompanied by squally surface winds, he said.

The system is being closely monitored to ascertain the exact direction the cyclonic storm will take and the possible location of its landfall.

The district officials of Ganjam, Gajapati, Nayagarh, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal have been asked to keep the administrative machinery fully prepared to tackle any possible situation, Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena said.

Jena also asked officials to ensure that no fisherman ventures into the sea from November 8 till further notice.

The likelihood of a cyclonic storm in the region comes barely six months after cyclone Fani devastated coastal Odisha on May 3, claiming nearly 64 lives.

The cyclone warning also comes a fortnight after six people were killed in rains that battered Odisha under the impact of a low-pressure area.

Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre H R Biswas said light to moderate rainfall is likely to lash most places over the north coastal districts of Odisha from November 8 to 11.

In West Bengal, light to moderate rainfall at most places and heavy rain at isolated locations might occur over the coastal districts on November 10 and 11, the IMD said.

Under its impact, squally winds with 40-50 kmph speed and gusting up to 60 kmph is likely to prevail over northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha-West Bengal coasts from the evening of November 8, and gradually increase thereafter, it said.

Sea condition will be very rough over eastcentral Bay of Bengal till Thursday evening, and become very high to phenomenal thereafter over the central and adjoining northwest parts, it said in a bulletin.