It has come to light that more than 10 districts of Odisha and the coastal areas of Gangetic West Bengal are expected to get heavy rainfall with strong winds starting today, due to a depression over the Bay of Bengal. On Thursday, the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal and its neighbourhood moved northwards at a speed of about 35 kmph in the past six hours, several news agencies reported. The depression is centered about 870 km southeast of Gopalpur, the meteorological centre said. The districts of East Midnapore, West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Howrah are likely to receive heavy rain tomorrow, Regional met director G K Das said. “Moderate rain bordering on the higher side is likely to occur in Kolkata tomorrow, ” Das said. Moderate rain may occur in the city on Saturday as well as in the coastal districts, he said. In addition, the depression is likely to move north-northwestwards and reach north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts around December 9. It is likely to intensify in the next 24 hours. There is, however, a probability that the depression will weaken when it reaches near north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts. Under its impact rain or thundershower is likely to occur at some places in coastal districts and Koraput, Gajapati and Malkangiri districts by tomorrow. Widespread rain is expected in coastal districts and many places in interior districts till December 10, the director of local met office, S C Sahu said. Thereafter, heavy rainfall is likely to lash some places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Khorda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Malkangiri and Koraput districts in the subsequent 48 hours, he said. The met office advised hoisting of Distant Cautionary Signal Number One (DC-I) at Paradip and Gopalpur Ports in Odisha. Squally winds with a speed of 40 to 50 kmph and gusting up to 60 kmph is likely to prevail along and off Odisha coasts till December 10. Sea condition would be rough to very rough along and off Odisha coasts and fishermen are advised not to venture into sea from December 10, it added.
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