Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday sounded a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in six Odisha districts — Kandhamal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Kalahandi and Rayagada — over two days on Sept 23 and 24, as a low-pressure area over the north Andaman Sea moved into Bay of Bengal. It is expected to approach the Odisha coast around Sept 23 after intensifying into a deep depression.The IMD also issued an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall for 16 districts and a yellow warning for heavy rainfall for some others during the four days from Sept 22 under the system’s influence.The IMD, however, has not indicated any further intensification, though some models suggest it may strengthen into a cyclonic storm.Sanjeev Dwivedi, a scientist at the IMD centre in the city, said the heavy rainfall warning would continue for several districts under the influence of the system.An IMD bulletin said squally winds with speeds of 55-65kmph, gusting to 75kmph, are likely along and off the south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts from Sept 23 to the evening of Sept 24.The IMD added Saturday’s low-pressure area over the north Andaman Sea lay over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea on Sunday.It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal on Monday, and into a deep depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. Continuing its west-northwestward movement, it is likely to reach the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal near the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts around the morning of Sept 23, the bulletin said.Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till Sept 24 and return to the coast by Monday.In the wake of the fresh IMD forecast, the govt has kept district collectors on high alert, a senior official at the office of the special relief commissioner said.Earlier, revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said the govt was prepared to handle any situation and that the administration was on alert.
