Fishermen warned, heavy rain forecast in Odisha as low pressure builds in Bay of Bengal

Bhubaneswar: A low-pressure area forming over the north Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal is expected to trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across parts of Odisha through July 4, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Saturday.

An upper air cyclonic circulation currently persists over southwest Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal, extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and tilting southwestward with height, the IMD said.

Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to develop over the region within the next 48 hours. The system is expected to move slowly in a west-northwestward direction across Gangetic West Bengal, north Odisha and Jharkhand.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in the districts of Jajpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Deogarh, Nuapada, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Subarnapur and Jharsuguda. Yellow and orange alerts have been issued for multiple districts.

Similar weather conditions are likely in Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Bhadrak, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty surface winds reaching speeds of 30–40 kmph.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are also likely at one or two places in Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Deogarh districts.

Squally weather with wind speeds of 35–45 kmph, gusting up to 55 kmph, is expected to prevail along and off the Odisha coast from June 28 to July 1, the IMD said. Sea conditions will remain rough to very rough during this period.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea due to unsafe conditions.

UNI

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