Odisha puts 20 districts on alert as low pressure forms over Bay of Bengal

• Odisha puts 20 districts on alert and asks 10 others to remain vigilant as a weather system over Bay of Bengal is expected to develop into a depression.

• IMD expects a low-pressure area to form over north Andaman Sea on Saturday, intensify gradually and move towards south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coast over three to four days.

• Heavy to very heavy rain forecast in several parts of Odisha through 25 September, with orange warnings issued for thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds in several districts.

The Odisha government has put 20 districts on alert and asked 10 others to remain vigilant as a weather system developing over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a depression, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Friday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said an upper-air cyclonic circulation over north Thailand was likely to emerge over the north Andaman Sea on Friday evening and trigger the formation of a low-pressure area over the region by Saturday evening.

"Thereafter, it is likely to intensify gradually and move towards south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coasts during subsequent 3-4 days," Manorama Mohanty, director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said.

Mohanty said IMD scientists were closely monitoring the system and would issue further updates as it develops.

While the system was likely to intensify into a depression, the weather office had not made any clear forecast on whether it would subsequently develop into a cyclonic storm.

"There is nothing to be panicked over the weather system. IMD will inform people at an appropriate time if the system intensifies further. However, intense rainfall activities will begin across south Odisha from September 22," Mohanty said.

Pujari said the state government was prepared to deal with the situation, noting that some weather models indicated the possibility of a cyclone.

Twenty districts have so far been issued a yellow alert for heavy rain, with rainfall of 7 cm to 11 cm expected, he said. The warning could be revised after the low-pressure area forms on Saturday evening.

A meeting of senior officials, including Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P Patil, was held and directions were communicated to district collectors, Pujari said.

Meanwhile, the IMD has issued an orange warning for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds in 15 districts during the next 24 hours.

The districts are Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj.

Heavy rain is likely at isolated places in Mayurbhanj, for which a yellow warning has been issued. Heavy rain is also likely in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj on 19 and 20 September, the IMD said.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph are also likely in several parts of the state.

A yellow warning has been issued for several districts for thunderstorms from 20 to 22 September.

For 22-23 September, an orange warning has been issued for Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangapur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds.

The IMD has also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts till 25 September.

The developing system is being closely watched by the state authorities, with the government saying preparedness measures have been communicated to district administrations even as the IMD continues to assess its likely intensity and track.