BHUBANESWAR: Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to lash parts of Odisha for four days as a fresh low-pressure area is expected to form over the Bay of Bengal on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The weather body said that the upper-air cyclonic circulation over northern parts of Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh persists. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the same region within the next 24 hours, it added.
In the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Friday, Hatadihi recorded the highest rainfall of 120 mm, followed by Bahanaga with 90 mm.
Director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty said, “Odisha is likely to experience widespread rainfall from Saturday to Tuesday, with some parts of the state likely to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall during the period. Some places have already started receiving rain.”
The regional meteorological centre has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall (64.5 mm to 204.4 mm) at one or two places in Cuttack, Angul, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar on Saturday. On Sunday, isolated places in Jajpur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.
It also cautioned that squally weather, with wind speeds of 40 kmph to 50 kmph and gusts up to 60 kmph, is likely to prevail along and off the Odisha coast on Sunday and Monday. The sea condition is likely to remain rough to very rough, and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea in the region until Monday, the meteorological centre said.
Sarat Sahu, director of SOA’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC), said the fresh weather system could affect the catchment areas of the Brahmani, Baitarani, Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga and upper and lower Mahanadi rivers.
