The low-pressure area over the Northwest Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed on Friday morning.
The system moved in a west-northwestward direction at a speed of 13 kmph over the past three hours and crossed the coasts of West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh between 7:30 am and 8:30 am.
As of 8:30 AM, the depression was centred over coastal West Bengal and nearby areas of the Northwest Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh.
IMD’s latest update placed it approximately 150 km west-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), 60 km south-southeast of Canning, 80 km east of Sagar Island, and 100 km south-southeast of Kolkata.
The weather office has predicted that the depression will continue moving west-northwestwards over the next 24 hours, bringing significant rainfall to Gangetic West Bengal, and adjoining parts of North Odisha and Jharkhand.
Authorities in the affected states have been alerted, and people in low-lying and flood-prone areas are advised to stay cautious.
Weather Prediction
The system is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of the state.
Red Alert for Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj
As per the latest update, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts are likely to witness extremely heavy rainfall, prompting the IMD to issue a Red Alert for both regions. Authorities are advised to remain on high alert for potential flooding, waterlogging, and landslides in these vulnerable areas.
Orange Warning for 10 Districts
Ten other districts are under Orange Warning, indicating the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall. These districts include: Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh, Balasore, Bhadrak, and Jajpur.