Cyclone Hamoon-induced rain may dampen Durga puja festivities, weak pandals may get affected in Odisha: IMD DG

Even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) ruled out any major threat to Odisha due to Cyclone Hamoon, the storm-induced rainfall and gusting winds might dampen Durga puja festivities in several parts of the state.

IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra today said that the deep depression is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by this evening. The storm will have no major impact on Odisha. Light rain will occur in coastal areas of north and coastal Odisha, said Mohapatra.

According to Mohapatra, the intensity of wind speed when the deep depression turns into a cyclonic storm will be 80 to 9-0 km/hr gusting up to 100 km/hr.

“When the cyclonic storm will be over the north Bay of Bengal, it will gradually weaken and by October 25 it will cross Bangladesh as a deep depression. As far as Odisha is concerned, several parts of the state will experience rainfall activities on October 23 and October 24,” said Mohapatra.

The IMD chief further informed that several parts of Odisha from Jagatsinghpur to Balasore and others are also likely to experience heavy rainfall activities. However, the rainfall activities will not create much problems. However, as far as puja pandals are concerned, people need to be cautious as wind speed is likely to increase.

The puja pandals which are not strong enough, might suffer damage to some extent under the influence of the winds, said IMD DG.