Bhubaneswar: Heavy-to-very heavy rainfall may dampen the Rath Yatra spirit in at least seven districts while 10 districts may experience heavy downpour in the next 24 hours thanks to a low pressure area formed over the Bay.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) centre here said Saturday that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsingpur and Kendrapara districts while heavy rainfall is likely in Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Angul, Rayagada, Boudh and Kandhamal districts.
A low pressure area lies over northwest Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood with associated cyclonic circulation up to 9.5-km above mean sea level tilting southwestwards with height. The system is likely to become a well marked low pressure area during the next 24 hours, the IMD said in its bulletin.
The extremely heavy rainfall is predicted at one or two places in Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada and Boudh districts, it said.
In its warning for the fishermen, the IMD said strong surface wind with speed reaching 35 to 45 kmph is likely along and off Odisha coast. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea during next 48 hours. Meanwhile, the low pressure area has caused rainfall at many places over interior Odisha and at many places over coastal region of the state with heavy rainfall at one or two places over north interior Odisha.
Hindol in Dhenkanal district received 7 cm of rainfall, Korei in Jajpur district (6 cm), Chendipada in Angul district, Khandapada in Nayagarh district, Deogarh and Madhabarida in Ganjam district received 5 cm of rainfall each.
PNN