A low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal on Friday and is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by the morning of October 26, prompting the Odisha government to initiate precautionary measures, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The weather system formed over the east-central and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal at 5.30 am, a minister said, citing information received from the IMD.
“The low-pressure area is most likely to persist over the same region and intensify into a depression on October 24. Thereafter, it is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression on October 25 and into a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by October 26 morning,” the IMD said.
The system is likely to intensify further and move towards the coasts of north Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha over the following two days, the weather office said.
Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state government had begun preparations in view of the impending weather system approaching the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coasts.
“Keeping in view of the IMD message, the state government has already started preparations for the impending weather system that will approach the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coasts,” Pujari said.
Under the influence of the system, the Andaman Islands, coastal Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Gangetic West Bengal are likely to experience squally weather accompanied by light to moderate rainfall between October 23 and 25.
Winds gusting up to 60 kmph are likely along the coasts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on October 27, with wind speeds expected to increase gradually thereafter, the IMD said.
The weather department has advised fishermen who are currently out at sea to return to the coast by the morning of October 24.
(With inputs from PTI)