Odisha sounds alert as low pressure area brews over south Andaman Sea

IMD Director General said that Odisha is likely to experience rainfall from December 2 to December 5

With the IMD forecasting the formation of a low pressure area over south Andaman Sea in the next 48 hours and the possibility of its eventual build-up into a cyclone, the Odisha government on Sunday put all district collectors on alert asking them to closely monitor the situation.

Odisha's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena, in a letter to the district collectors, said that that the weatherman has forecast the formation of a low pressure area over south Andaman Sea around November 30, and it is likely to become more marked and move north-westwards in the subsequent 48 hours.

Jena also mentioned that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted rain over some places in Jagatsinghur, Kendrapara, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts from 8.30 AM on December 2 to 8.30 AM on December 3.

He asked the district collectors to ensure that fishermen return to the coast by December 2 as squally weather conditions with surface wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph and gusting up to 70 kmph will likely prevail over west-central Bay of Bengal from that date.

IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said that Odisha is likely to experience rainfall from December 2 to December 5 and did not rule out the possibility of a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal in the first week of December.

"The low pressure area is likely to become more marked and the system will have the potential to take the shape of a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal. However, we can give more information, including on the intensity of rainfall and wind speed, after formation of the low pressure area on November 30," Mohapatra told a local news channel.

The IMD DG said that the north coastal Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal may be impacted if the low pressure area turns into a cyclonic storm.

"However, it is too early to predict more on this," he added.