Odisha braces for heavy rainfall as low-pressure system approaches

Bhubaneswar, Aug 23: Odisha is expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall until August 26 due to the presence of a low-pressure area over West Bengal and nearby parts of northeast Jharkhand, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday. The low-pressure system is anticipated to move westward toward Jharkhand over the next 24 hours, while a cyclonic circulation persists over the northern Bay of Bengal, according to the midday bulletin.

The IMD has issued an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) and thunderstorms with lightning for Sambalpur, Deogarh, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar districts on August 23. Additionally, heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) with thunderstorms and lightning is expected in parts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Bargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Cuttack, Sonepur, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Balangir, and Nuapada.

On August 24, the heavy to very heavy rainfall, along with thunderstorms and lightning, may continue in isolated areas of Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, and Keonjhar districts. Heavy rain and thunderstorm activity are also likely in parts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Puri, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Boudh, Sonepur, Balangir, Nuapada, Bargarh, Malkangiri, Koraput, and Nabarangpur.

The intensity of the rain is expected to gradually decrease after this period. On August 25 and 26, heavy rainfall with thunderstorms may affect one or two locations in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj.

For the period between August 23 and August 29, the IMD forecasts widespread to fairly widespread rain and thundershowers, with isolated heavy to very heavy falls. A new cyclonic circulation is anticipated to form over the North Bay of Bengal around August 24, leading to the development of a low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal and adjacent areas of Northwest Bay of Bengal by August 25. This system is expected to move west-northwestward across Gangetic West Bengal, North Odisha, Jharkhand, and adjoining Chhattisgarh over the following 3-4 days.