Odisha: Seven districts on alert amid cyclone forecast

The state government ordered Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Balasore districts to be prepared for any adverse situation if cyclone hits the Odisha coast. 

These districts were asked to take all precautionary measures by the state’s Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) as there is still no clarity by the weather office about the intensity, trajectory and the landfall area of the possible cyclone.

However, the SRC is keeping several government departments updated about the latest weather conditions. In its latest report, the weather office informed that the cyclonic circulation over the north Andaman Sea persisted.

Due to the cyclonic circulation, there are chances that there will be a low-pressure area over the southeast and nearby the east central Bay of Bengal in next twenty four hours, informed Indian Meteorological Department.

“It is likely to move west northwestwards and concentrate into a depression by October 22 morning over central Bay of Bengal,” it said. Along with this, the weather agency informed that there are high chances that the depression will intensify further into a cyclonic storm over the west central Bay of Bengal within next two days.

In the wake of growing possibility of a cyclone, IMD has also advised fishermen not to venture into the west central and nearby areas of Bay of Bengal for their job. They were advised to restrict their movements into the sea from 22 October and refrain to go near off the Odisha coast from 23 October.

IMD’s Director-General Mrutunjay Mohapatra has said that it is difficult to predict about the future situation of the cyclone as it is yet to form. He said that there will be accurate predictions only after the formation of low pressure area. Weather scientist Sarat Sahu informed that situation will be clear after 22 October.

Due to the prevailing weather system, certain districts of Odisha may receive light to moderate rainfall for the next four days, according to IMD. Along with this, the weather agency has issued yellow alert in three districts, Jagatsinghpur ,Kendrapara , and Puri for 24 October.