Image Source hindustantimes
Odisha is bracing for three days of heavy rainfall starting October 27, as a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Saturday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD has placed several districts under ‘orange’ (be prepared) and ‘yellow’ (be aware) alerts, warning of possible heavy rain, gusty winds, and rough sea conditions along the coast.
In its latest update, the IMD said the well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal has moved westwards and concentrated into a depression, now positioned about 420 km west-southwest of Port Blair and 1,040 km south-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha.
“A depression forms when a low-pressure system strengthens, and it often precedes a cyclonic storm,” explained an IMD scientist at the Bhubaneswar centre.
According to Dr. Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, the system is expected to impact coastal Andhra Pradesh the most, though Odisha’s southern and coastal districts may also receive intense rainfall.
Along and off the Odisha coast, squally winds are likely to blow at 35–45 kmph from October 26, strengthening to 50–60 kmph by October 28–29, the IMD said.
Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari stated that district collectors have been asked to stay on high alert. “Collectors in landslide-prone districts like Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Nabarangpur have been instructed to monitor the situation closely and evacuate people to safer places if necessary,” he added.
The state government has also directed disaster response teams and control rooms to remain on standby as the system continues to move closer to the coast.
[Newsroom staff written original, where key claims or facts are used, I’ve referenced the original sources (like The Hindu, The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Odisha TV (OTV),etc.) transparently.]
