Bhubaneswar: Coastal districts of the state are likely to receive heavy rainfall October 24 and 25 due to a depression over the Bay of Bengal, even as DG, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Dr Mrutyunjaya Mohaparta Thursday allayed fears of a cyclone during that period.
Speaking to Orissa POST, Mohapatra said that a cyclonic circulation will likely form over the Andaman Sea around October 20. “Due to its impact, a low-pressure area will form over east-central Bay of Bengal October 22,” he said. It will turn into a depression and move in north-west direction over the Bay of Bengal October 24. Mohapatra said due to the impact of the low pressure, light rainfall activity will begin October 23 which will intensify by October 24 and 25. “Most coastal districts will receive heavy rains during these two days,” he said. Asked if the state was bracing for a cyclone, as reported in a section of the media, Mohapatra said, “It is too early to predict anything now.
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As per our predictions so far, there is a likelihood of a depression forming over the Bay of Bengal by October 24 which will cause heavy rainfall. Due to the depression wind speed up to a maximum velocity of 60 kph will be experienced,” he added. Meanwhile, IMD, Bhubaneswar Thursday issued a warning regarding a fresh upper cyclonic circulation that is likely to form over the north Andaman Sea around October 20.
For Friday, the IMD forecast that light to moderate rain/thundershower is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nawarangpur districts. Dry weather is very likely to prevail over the rest districts, it said. On Saturday, a thunderstorm with lightning is very likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nawarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, it added.