Cyclone Jawad Landfall: Storm may cross Odisha coast near Konark in Puri district

Bhubaneswar: Cyclone Jawad over the Bay of Bengal may cross Odisha coast near Konark in Odisha's Puri district, the forecast track of the system released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicated.

As per the forecast path, the cyclone may make landfall at Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, close to Olive Turtle Beach Reserve (see pic below).

Notably, Cyclone Fani had also crossed the Odisha coast in Puri district in 2019, battering the Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, severely. Thousands of trees at the sanctuary were uprooted during the landfall of Cyclone Fani.

As per the IMD, Cyclone Jawad is likely to reach west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coasts by the morning of December 4. Thereafter, it is likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move along Odisha coast reaching near Puri around the noon of December 5.

Subsequently, it is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards along coastal Odisha towards West Bengal coast.

Wind Warning: Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph likely to commence along & off North Andhra Pradesh–Odisha coasts from the midnight of 3rd December and increase gradually becoming 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph from 4th December evening, for the subsequent 12 hours.

Rainfall Warning

December 4: Heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely to occur at a few places with extremely heavy falls (more than 20 cm) at one or two places over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur .

Heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely to at one or two places over the districts of Kendrapara, Cuttack, Khordha, Nayagarh, Kandhamal and Rayagada .

Heavy rainfall very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Koraput and Malkangiri .

December 5: Heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Cuttack and Puri .

Heavy rainfall very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Khordha, Ganjam and Gajapati .