Bhubaneswar: Several parts of Odisha are bracing for heavy rainfall as a well-marked low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Sunday. The depression is expected to bring significant rain across the state until September 11.
According to the IMD, the depression formed over the west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal, positioned approximately 310 km east of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, 260 km east-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, 290 km south-southeast of Paradip, and 410 km south of Digha, West Bengal.
The system is predicted to move northwestward, approaching the north Odisha-West Bengal coasts, and is likely to intensify into a deep depression within the next 24 hours. Following this, the depression is expected to travel west-northwest across north Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and adjoining northern Chhattisgarh over the subsequent two days, bringing widespread rainfall.
Authorities in Odisha have been alerted, and citizens are advised to stay updated on weather warnings and take necessary precautions as heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in several districts. Coastal areas, particularly Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur, are anticipated to experience the strongest impact, with localized flooding a potential concern.