Bhubaneswar: Odisha is likely to witness widespread heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours as a low pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal has intensified into a well-marked low pressure area and is expected to strengthen further into a depression today, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

According to the IMD's morning bulletin, the well-marked low pressure area was located over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha-West Bengal coasts at 5.30 am. The weather system is very likely to concentrate into a depression over the same region within the next 12 hours. It is expected to move northwestwards and cross the north Odisha-West Bengal coasts around the forenoon of July 27.

The IMD has issued a Red Warning for Kendujhar district, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two locations during the day.

An Orange Warning has been issued for Jajpur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal and Mayurbhanj districts, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places.

A Yellow Warning has been sounded for Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh districts, with heavy rainfall expected at one or two places.

The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kmph at isolated places over Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh districts.

The weather office has advised people in the affected districts to remain alert, as intense rainfall may lead to waterlogging in low-lying areas, reduced visibility and disruptions to road traffic.