Low pressure over Bay of Bengal triggers heavy rain in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Jul 21 (PTI) Many parts of Odisha saw widespread rainfall on Thursday and in the early hours of Friday following the formation of a low pressure area (LOPAR) over the Bay of Bengal off the state’s coast, the met office said.

IMD officials said that the LOPAR was formed under the influence of cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal and under its influence squally weather with gusty surface wind speed reaching 40 to 50 km per hour is very likely along and off the Odisha coast till July 22.

The weather office has also advised fishermen not to venture into the sea during this period.

The circulation is likely to move across Odisha during the next two days and trigger light to moderate rains with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall across the state till July 24, it said.

The IMD forecast the forming of another LOPAR on July 24 and issued both orange and yellow warnings till 8.30 AM on July 21.

The orange warning (be prepared) has been issued as heavy to very heavy rainfall of 7 to 20 cm is very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Bargarh, Boudh, Sonepur, Sambalpur between 8.30 AM of Friday to 8.30 a m of Saturday.

The IMD issued a yellow warning (be updated) of heavy rainfall which is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nawarangapur, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Angul, Nayagarh, Cuttack and Dhenkanal between 8.30 a m of Friday to 8.30 a m of Saturday.

The IMD also warned of possible landslides in the hilly areas of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Ganjam and Gajapati districts.

A report from Malkangiri district said that at least 19 villages of Nakamamudi panchayat were cut off following a landslide at Bayapada ghat due to incessant rainfall on Thursday.