BHUBANESWAR: The state was spared major rain misery as the depression that had formed over the Bay of Bengal moved towards the Bangladesh coast, bringing relief to the people.
The IMD said the depression moved in a north-northeast direction with a speed of 25 kmph and made landfall between the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh around Friday noon. While it brought light to moderate rainfall at most places over north coastal Odisha, the state escaped major damage due to rain.
H R Biswas, director of regional IMD centre, said there was no impact of the system over the state. But fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea till Saturday. Biswas said rainfall activities in the state would now be limited to isolated places in coastal and adjoining pockets for the next four-five days. “Western Odisha will witness dry weather during the period,” Biswas added.
For Saturday, the IMD forecast said the state may witness light to moderate rainfall in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Koraput and Malkangiri districts. The rest of the places will witness sunny weather, it added. “We will certainly enjoy the festival now,” said Asutosh, a city-based research scholar.