A few days after two Cyclones - Tauktae and Yaas - battered the west and east coastal states of the country, another low pressure has formed in the Bay of Bengal leading to apprehensions about formation of another cyclonic storm.
The India Meteorological Department on Friday (June 11) said that a Low Pressure Area (LOPAR) has formed over Northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal coasts. It is likely to become more marked during the subsequent 24 hours and move westnorthwestwards across Odisha. Under the influence of the low pressure, widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall along with extremely heavy falls is likely over the districts of Odisha till June 14.
Apart from this, thunderstorm with moderate to severe lightning activity is very likely in some places of North Odisha during the next 24 hours. People in these areas have been advised to keep a watch on weather and accordingly move to safer places to protect themselves from a possible lightning strike. As per the prediction of the Met department, in the next 24 hours, heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely at a few places with extremely heavy falls at isolated places over the districts of Kandhamal, Boudh, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Nayagarh, Sonepur, Khordha, Puri and Jagatsinghpur. Similarly, districts like Ganjam, Cuttack, Angul, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Nabarangpur and Nuapada may witness heavy to very heavy rainfall during the period.
In the subsequent 24 hours, a red warning has been issued for Nuapada, Bolangir, Sonepur, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Boudh, Sambalpur, Angul and Nabarangpur. All these districts will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy downpour at isolated places. The Met department has sounded an orange warning in districts like Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Deogarh, which are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall between June 12 to June 13. Does this low pressure have the potential to turn into a cyclone?
If conditions are favourable, a low pressure in the sea may turn into a depression, then into a deep depression and may further intensify into a cyclonic storm. However, latest forecast of the IMD suggests that there is a low (1-25 per cent) chance of formation of a depression in the next 96 hours. The IMD has therefore not issued any such warning as yet.