Bhubaneswar: Several districts of Odisha are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Tuesday as very severe cyclonic storm 'Arnab' intensified over the west-central Bay of Bengal and moved towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The weather agency has issued an orange warning for six districts and a yellow warning for several others, forecasting heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds at isolated places across the state.

Orange warning for six districts

The IMD has issued an orange warning for Puri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely at one or two places.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph are also likely in these districts.

Yellow warning for several districts

A yellow warning has been issued for Baleswar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Khordha, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur, Nuapada, Balangir and Boudh.

Heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places in these districts. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph, with gusts up to 50 kmph, are also expected in several of the warned districts.

Cyclone to cross Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28

The IMD said the very severe cyclonic storm is likely to continue moving west-northwestwards until the evening of October 27. It is then expected to move northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, by the forenoon of October 28.

The system is likely to make landfall as a very severe cyclonic storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 115-125 kmph and gusts reaching up to 140 kmph.

Although the cyclone is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast, Odisha is expected to experience significant rainfall and thunderstorms, particularly in its southern districts.