Heavy rain forecast in Southern Odisha in next 24 hours

BHUBANESWAR: India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over several districts of South Odisha in next 24 hours. Besides, other parts of the State will witness moderate rainfall.

A well-marked low pressure area now lies over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha with an associated cyclonic circulation extending upto 9.5 km above the mean sea level and tilting southwestwards with height, it stated.

Regional met office also said the axis of monsoon trough at mean sea level is now passing through Bikaner, Ajmer, Guna, Damoh, Ambikapur and centre of well-marked low pressure area lies over northwest and east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha. The cyclonic circulation at 1.5 km above the mean sea level over north Chhattisgarh and neighbourhood has merged with the monsoon trough, IMD’s latest bulletin said.

Under its influence, chief amount of rainfall was recorded at Brahmagiri in Puri with 30 cm rains, followed by 23 cm at Kotraguda in Rayagada district on Sunday.The southwest monsoon has been active over Odisha, and rainfall has occurred at several places with heavy to very heavy rainfall lashing one or two places. Similarly, extremely heavy rainfall has occurred at one or two places over South Odisha.

Director of Regional Meteorological Centre HR Biswas said, “While heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at scattered places in south Odisha, most parts of the State will receive light to moderate rain in next 24 hours. Similarly, heavy rainfall will occur at isolated places in Kandhamal, Rayagada, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Sambalpur, Angul, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack in next 24 hours.”

Another low pressure is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood around July 19, he added.The weather forecasters also issued a warning for the fishermen advising not to venture into sea in next 48 hours. “Under the influence of the well-marked low pressure, strong surface wind reaching 35 to 45 km per hour is likely along and off the Odisha coast,” met office sources said.