Fresh low-pressure area forms over Bay of Bengal, more rain in store for Odisha

BHUNESHWAR: The India Meteorological Department on Saturday said a fresh low-pressure area has formed over the Bay of Bengal, which could trigger heavy rainfall across Odisha till September 4.

State authorities have taken measures to tackle possible waterlogging and inundation in the northern and coastal regions of Odisha, an official said.

“Under the influence of the upper air cyclonic circulation over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts, a low-pressure area has formed over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal-north Odisha coasts at 5.30 am,” the IMD said in bulletin.

The weather system is likely to trigger intense rainfall in the northern, interior and coastal parts of the state, it said.

Odisha is already grappling with floods in some regions, with over 67,000 people in three districts affected in the second wave of the deluge, the official said.

The IMD had earlier issued alerts for heavy to very heavy rainfall in various parts of Odisha between August 20 and September 4.

For Saturday, it sounded an alert for heavy rain at one or two places in the flood-hit districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Kendrapara and Mayurbhanj, as well as other districts including Jajpur, Cuttack, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Baragarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Puri and Nayagada.

“As squally weather with wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph occasionally gusting to 60 kmph is very likely to prevail along and off the Odisha coast till August 31, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during the period,” the IMD bulletin said.