Depression forms over Bay of Bengal; IMD predicts heavy rain in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The well-marked low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal has turned into a depression, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

As per an IMD bulletin, the depression was located at a distance of about 310 km east of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 260 km east-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha), 290 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 410 km south of Digha (West Bengal).

The weather system is expected to move towards north Odisha-West Bengal coasts and intensify into a deep depression during the next 24 hours, it said.

Thereafter, it is very likely to move across north Odisha-Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and adjoining north Chhattisgarh during the subsequent two days, it said.

The weather office issued an 'Orange' warning (be prepared) for heavy to very heavy rain at one or two places over Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, and Koraput districts of Odisha for Sunday.

A 'Yellow' warning (be updated) for heavy rain has also been issued for one or two places of Kendrapara, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nabarangpur districts for Sunday.

The IMD also forecast rain in most parts of the state for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

It said that under the influence of the possible depression, squally weather with strong surface wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is very likely to prevail over northwest Bay of Bengal, adjoining West Central Bay of Bengal, along and off Odisha coasts during September 8-11.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast, northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Central Bay of Bengal during the period.