Low-pressure area formed over Bay of Bengal, Odisha on high alert
Over the eastcentral Bay of Bengal and the adjoining north Andaman Sea, a low-pressure area was created by the upper air cyclonic circulation on Sunday.
On Monday, October 21, 2024, the cyclonic circulation observed over the Andaman Sea escalated into a low-pressure system and is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm by October 23, affecting the coast of Odisha and West Bengal, as per the IMD.
The special announcement from the India Meteorological Department highlighted the formation of a low-pressure area over the eastcentral Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea early on Sunday, October 20, 2024, due to the upper air cyclonic circulation over the North Andaman Sea.
According to the IMD, there is a high probability that it will escalate to a depression by the morning of October 22 and develop into a cyclonic storm by October 23, positioned over the east-central Bay of Bengal.
It was mentioned that by the morning of October 24, the system is highly probable to approach the northwest Bay of Bengal near the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has instructed fishermen to head back to the shore by Monday evening and avoid going out to sea until October 26. While the IMD has not disclosed the exact location where the cyclone, expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 24, will make landfall, they have shared visual representations of its anticipated path. A senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar mentioned that the projections suggest a high probability of a severe cyclonic storm hitting the northern coast of Odisha.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the IMD DG, mentioned on Sunday that Odisha is expected to experience the most severe impact of the cyclonic storm. The cyclone is forecasted to linger along the coast of Odisha, resulting in significant rainfall ranging from heavy to very heavy, along with intense winds reaching speeds of up to 100 km/hour.
According to the weather agency, Odisha can expect light to moderate rainfall across most areas on October 23, with heavy rainfall predicted in isolated areas. Furthermore, heavy to very heavy rainfall is anticipated in some regions on October 24-25, with extremely heavy rainfall possible in isolated locations.
A red warning for isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) and isolated extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm) accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning has been issued by the IMD. This warning applies to specific locations within Puri, Khurda, Ganjam, and Jagatsinghpur districts on October 24.
An orange warning has been released for Kendrapada, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, and Gajapati districts, signaling the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in isolated areas.
A cautionary alert has been issued for the possibility of significant rainfall ranging from 7 to 11cm, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning strikes in select areas of Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar districts.
The IMD has stated that strong winds with speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, are expected to start over the northwest region adjacent to the west central Bay of Bengal, along with the Odisha coast, from the evening of October 23. These winds are projected to intensify, developing into gale-force winds reaching 100-110 kmph, with gusts up to 120 kmph, from the night of October 24 until the morning of October 25.
The coastal district collectors in Odisha have been placed on high alert by the state government. They have been instructed to implement all necessary measures, such as evacuating individuals from at-risk locations.