Odishatv Bureau

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today sounded a cyclone warning along Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coast after a depression, formed over north Sri Lanka and its adjoining area over Gulf of Manner and south-west Bay of Bengal yesterday, concentrated into a deep depression this morning.

The deep depression is likely to take the shape of a cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours and trigger heavy rainfall in south and coastal Odisha in the next 48 hours.

Talking to OTV today, Director, Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, Dr Sarat Chandra Sahu said the deep depression, lying over south-south-west of Bay of Bengal at a distance of 780 km off the Gopalpur coast, is moving in north-north-west direction towards Andhra Pradesh coast.

“As per the model indicator, the deep depression is likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm while on its way towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. Since there is the possibility that the cyclonic storm will move gradually along the coast and affect the coastal pockets in Odisha, we have sounded a cyclone warning in the coastal districts of the state,” Sahu informed.

He said there are four stages of cyclone warning: pre-cyclone watch, cyclone alert, cyclone warning and post-landfall outlook. “We have sounded cyclone warning in the coastal pockets of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh after monitoring its movement through satellite imagery,” he pointed out.

He further said under the influence of the cyclone, there would be widespread rainfall in some parts of Odisha on May 19 with heavy rainfall at one or two places. “There would be heavy to very heavy rainfall in the south and coastal districts, especially on May 20,” Sahu said.

Asked whether the cyclonic storm would pose any threat to the lives of the people of the state, he said the cyclonic storm would trigger heavy rainfall. As the wind speed will be around 45-50 kmph, loss to the life and property is unlikely, he pointed out.

He said the Met department has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea during the period as the sea condition would be rough.

“Besides, considering the wind speed, we have hoisted distant cautionary signal no-1 in Paradip and Gopalpur ports,” he added.

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