Bhubaneswar: A depression over the westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal is moving westwards and is likely to intensify into a deep depression during the next 12 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.

The system, moving at a speed of around 18 kmph during the past six hours, was centred at 8.30 am on Tuesday near latitude 17.9°N and longitude 86.0°E. It lay about 200 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, 200 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, 210 km south of Puri and 290 km east of Visakhapatnam.

According to the IMD, the system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression over the westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours.

It is further expected to continue moving west-northwestwards and cross the north Andhra Pradesh-South Odisha coasts between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur as a deep depression during the night of September 23 and early hours of September 24.

Red warning issued for several Odisha districts

The IMD has issued a red warning for Rayagada, Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam for the period up to 8.30 pm on September 23. Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places, with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated locations, is likely in these districts.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph are also likely at isolated places.

An orange warning has been issued for Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at one or two places. Thunderstorms with gusty winds of 50-60 kmph are also likely.

A yellow warning has been issued for Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada and Balangir for heavy rainfall and thunderstorms accompanied by winds of 40-50 kmph.

Rainfall warnings for September 23-26

For the 24-hour period from 8.30 am on September 23 to 8.30 am on September 24, a red warning has been issued for Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri, where heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely.

An orange warning has been issued for Nuapada, Balangir, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam, while a yellow warning covers Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Bargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh.

For September 24-25, Nabarangpur is under a red warning for extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places. Bargarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput and Malkangiri are under an orange warning, while a yellow warning has been issued for Balasore, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Kandhamal and Rayagada.

For September 25-26, Nuapada is under an orange warning, while Bargarh, Balangir, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur are under a yellow warning.

Strong winds, rough seas along Odisha coast

The weather system is expected to bring squally winds over the Bay of Bengal. Wind speeds of 45-55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph, are likely over the westcentral and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal, increasing to 50-60 kmph with gusts up to 70 kmph from Tuesday evening.

The wind speed may further increase to 55-65 kmph, gusting to 75 kmph, over the westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal between September 23 and the evening of September 24.

Squally weather with winds of 40-50 kmph and gusts up to 60 kmph has already commenced along and off the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts. The winds are likely to strengthen from Tuesday evening.

The sea is expected to remain rough to very rough over parts of the Bay of Bengal and along and off the north Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal coasts until September 24.

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal, along and off the Odisha coast and the north Andhra Pradesh coast until September 24.

Odisha government steps up preparedness

The Odisha government has intensified preparedness measures in view of the approaching deep depression.

The state recorded an average rainfall of 13.5 mm during the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on September 22. Pattamundai in Kendrapara district recorded the highest rainfall of 78 mm during the period.

According to the Water Resources Department's morning flood bulletin, major rivers in southern Odisha remained below their respective danger levels.

The Rushikulya was flowing at 76.83 metres at Sorada against a danger level of 81.99 metres, 55.94 metres at Madhabarida against 60.65 metres and 12.18 metres at Purushottampur against 16.84 metres.

The Vansadhara was flowing at 80.93 metres at Gunupur against a danger level of 84 metres and 52.93 metres at Kashinagar against 54.60 metres.

The available storage in major reservoirs of southern Odisha stood at 83.6 per cent in Upper Indravati, 54.5 per cent in Upper Kolab, 44.4 per cent in Balimela and 63.8 per cent in Machhkund (Jalaput).

Chief Secretary of Odisha reviewed preparedness on September 21 with the Special Relief Commissioner, Director of Fire Services, Health and Family Welfare Department, Water Resources Department, police authorities and district collectors of southern districts.

District collectors have been directed to identify vulnerable areas, keep cyclone and flood shelters ready, stock essential supplies and deploy disaster response teams in advance. Special attention has been ordered for landslide-prone areas in Gajapati, Rayagada, Ganjam, Koraput and Malkangiri.

Fire Services units have also been kept on alert.

A total of 33 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams have been deployed or earmarked for the approaching deep depression. Of these, 24 teams have been deployed in vulnerable districts—six in Ganjam, three in Gajapati, six in Koraput, three in Malkangiri, three in Rayagada, two in Kalahandi and one in Balangir.

Nine additional ODRAF teams have been kept in reserve at the OSAP 8th Battalion and ODRAF unit at Chhatrapur in Ganjam district.

Health authorities have been directed to ensure the readiness of medical facilities, while the Water Resources Department has been asked to continuously monitor rainfall, reservoir inflows and dam water levels.

Senior officials and district administrations have been instructed to remain at headquarters and maintain round-the-clock surveillance of the situation.

The state and district administrations are maintaining close watch on the evolving weather conditions. People have been advised to remain alert, avoid waterlogged, low-lying and other vulnerable areas, follow instructions issued by local authorities and rely on official advisories issued by the Odisha government and the IMD.