Heavy rain likely to lash 10 districts

Bhubaneswar:  Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to lash 10 districts of the state, including Khurda, Cuttack and Puri on December 9 and 10 due to a deep depression over central Bay of Bengal.

According to a latest bulletin issued by the regional meteorological centre, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput districts during next 48 hours. Besides, thundershower is likely to occur at most places in coastal and interior Odisha during the period.

Squally winds with a speed of 40 to 50 kmph and gusting up to 60 kmph are likely to prevail along and off Odisha coasts during next 36 hours.

This apart, four districts of southern Odisha would witness scattered rains. Since sea condition would be rough to very rough, local cautionary signal-III has been hoisted at all ports in the State and fishermen are advised not to venture into sea till December 10.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression over southeast and adjoining central Bay of Bengal moved further north-northwestwards at a speed of about 20 kmph during the last six hours and intensified into a deep depression over central Bay of Bengal about 590 km south-southeast of Gopalpur at 5.30 am today.

The system is likely to move north-northwestwards and reach north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts on December 9 morning as a depression.