Odisha govt alerts 7 coastal districts over forecast of cyclone

The Odisha government has alerted its coastal district to prepare for the possible cyclone predicted by the IMD.

Bhubaneswar (Odisha):The Odisha government on Wednesday put seven coastal districts of the state on alert given the forecast of a cyclone over the Bay of Bengal. Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Balasore districts were asked to take precautionary measures by the state's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) even as the weather office is yet to predict the intensity, trajectory and the landfall area of the possible cyclone.

Various government departments were also informed by the SRC about the latest weather conditions. In its latest report, the weather office said the cyclonic circulation over the north Andaman Sea persisted. Under its influence a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast and adjoining the east-central Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"It is likely to move west northwestwards and concentrate into a depression by October 22 morning over the central Bay of Bengal," adding that it is very likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal during the subsequent 48 hours. The IMD advised fishermen not to venture into the west-central and adjoining the north Bay of Bengal from October 22, and off the Odisha coast from October 23. IMD's Director-General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said that accurate prediction on the intensity and trajectory could be made only after the formation of the low-pressure area. Weather scientist Sarat Sahu said that a clear picture will emerge by October 22. (With agency inputs)