Heavy rainfall on cards for 11 Odisha districts

Bhubaneswar: The IMD predicted heavy rainfall for 11 districts in southern and western Odisha on December 17 under influence of a cyclonic storm to be intensified over the Bay of Bengal.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Bargarh, Balangir, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur on December 17, said the State Revenue and Disaster Management in a release here today.

The heavy rainfall warning has been issued for December 16 in the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada and Kalahandi.

The fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep sea areas of southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal on Dec 15 and westcentral and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal on Dec 16 and 17.

The farmers have been advised to take necessary measures to protect their crops.

As per the latest bulletin received from the IMD, the deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal lay centered at 8.30 am today on Saturday about 440 km southeast of Chennai and 890 km southeast of Machlipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It is very likely to further intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours and into a severe cyclonic storm in subsequent 24 hours. It is likely to cross AP coast between Ongole and Kakinada by afternoon on Dec 17.

Under its influence, light to moderate rain/thundershower is likely to occur at many places over districts of south Odisha and few places on Dec 16, 17 and 18, the release said.