BHUBANESWAR: The depression over north-west and adjoining north-east Bay of Bengal that moved west-northwestwards is likely to cross Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Balasore and Sagar Islands around Friday evening.
The regional Met office has cautioned that at least four districts will experience extremely heavy rainfall and 12 districts will receive heavy rainfall. Damage to kutcha roads and houses is expected.
"Extremely heavy rainfall at some places is likely to occur in Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts on Friday. Similarly, heavy rainfall is expected at a few places in Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Cuttack, Sambalpur and seven other districts," said Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre scientist Umasankar Das.
The depression that lay centered about 250 km east-southeast of Balasore, 190 km east-southeast of Digha and 150 km south-east of Sagar Islands at about 8.30 am moved at a speed of 20 km/ph.
According to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) latest bulletin, the system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression in the next six hours.
After landfall, the system will continue to move west-northwestwards across north Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand towards north Chhattisgarh and then weaken gradually.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the north coastal region of Odisha is expected to witness a wind speed of 55 km/ph to 65 km/ph and gusting up to 75 km/ph from Friday noon till midnight.
The fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off Odisha coast and north Bay of Bengal till Saturday.
Under the influence of the system, heavy rainfall is also likely to occur at one or two places in Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri and 11 other districts on the day.
Heavy rainfall is expected to occur at one or two places in Sambalpur and 14 other districts on Saturday.