Bhubaneswar, Sept 9: The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast of a depression intensifying over the west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal, Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has urged key officials to boost preparedness measures. The SRC has written to the OSD of the Chief Secretary, Development Commissioner, and other concerned authorities to ensure the administration is ready to handle the upcoming weather challenges.
The IMD predicts that the depression is likely to move northward towards the Odisha-West Bengal coast and develop into a deep depression within the next 24 hours. It is expected to make landfall between Puri and Digha on the evening or night of September 9, continuing further across Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and north Chhattisgarh over the following two days. This movement is expected to result in heavy to very heavy rainfall across the region.
Districts such as Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Khordha, Cuttack, and Dhenkanal are expected to experience rainfall ranging from 7 to 20 cm, with isolated areas receiving more than 20 cm. Other regions like Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam are also on alert for significant rainfall.
Impact and Advisory:
- Temporary waterlogging in low-lying areas and underpasses.
- Poor visibility during intense rain, causing urban traffic congestion.
- Potential damage to kutcha roads and vulnerable houses.
- Likely harm to vegetable and horticultural crops.
- Mudslides and landslides in hilly regions.
The SRC has advised residents to avoid staying in their houses and follow traffic advisories. Drainage arrangements are recommended for nursery beds and crop fields to prevent waterlogging.
