Odisha: Low pressure, monsoon band together, rains to follow

The Met office said a cyclonic circulation lies over south-east and adjoining central Bay of Bengal and the low pressure area is likely to form on Saturday.
The State Government alerted coastal districts to remain in readiness as Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur may get heavy rain
The State Government alerted coastal districts to remain in readiness as Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur may get heavy rain

BHUBANESWAR:  With the south-west monsoon onset coinciding with formation of a low pressure over Bay of Bengal which is likely to turn into a tropical storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued a yellow warning for heavy rainfall at many places of the State beginning May 25.

The State Government alerted coastal districts to remain in readiness as Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur may get heavy rain while parts of Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Mayurbhanj are likely to receive showers on Wednesday.

The Met office said a cyclonic circulation lies over south-east and adjoining central Bay of Bengal and the low pressure area is likely to form on Saturday. The system will move north-westwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm by Monday, said Umasankar Das, Scientist, Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre.

The cyclonic storm will continue to move north-westwards, intensify further and reach Odisha-West Bengal coast around May 26 morning. Advancement of south-west monsoon will favour cyclogenesis which is expected to take place after the low pressure intensifies into a well-marked low pressure on Sunday.

Squally winds reaching a speed of 40 km to 50 km/hr and gusting up to 60 km/hr are likely to prevail over north Bay of Bengal, along and off Odisha-West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts from Monday evening. The wind speed may pick up from Tuesday evening. Fishermen in the deep sea area have been advised to return to the coast by May 23, said Das.

Low pressure, monsoon band together, rains to follow
The State Police readied 20 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) units, each consisting of about 50 personnel to handle any emergency arising out of the storm. Teams have road clearing machines, communication equipment like satellite phones and wireless sets, emergency lights, generators and vehicles to carry out the rescue operations.

“All the units have been kept on high alert and their preparedness was reviewed on Friday,” said ADG (Law and Order) YK Jethwa. DGP Abhay visited Odisha Special Armed Police’s 6th Battalion in Cuttack to review preparedness of ODRAF ahead of the tropical storm’ arrival.

In the wake of the tropical storm formation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) began close monitoring of the system. ICG’s ships relayed weather warnings to the mariners and fishermen at Andaman and Nicobar and urged them to return to the shore or take shelter at the nearest port.  “Though fishing ban is enforced in east coast of India, coast guard Dornier and ships at the sea are intimating the fishermen about the likely formation of the cyclone,” said an official.

More cyclone shelters to ensure safe distance
Bhubaneswar: The State government on Friday asked the collectors of coastal districts to be prepared with more cyclone shelters to maintain safe distance between affected people who will be shifted to these facilities as the system in the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm on May 24

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