Odisha Braces for Heavy Rainfall as Depression Nears Coast

The Odisha government on Wednesday placed all districts on alert after a well-marked low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression, triggering widespread rainfall and warnings of more heavy showers through October 5. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the system, which lay about 400 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 420 km south-southeast of Gopalpur at 11:30 am, is likely to move north-northwestwards, strengthen into a deep depression, and cross the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast between Gopalpur and Paradip in the early hours of October 3.

According to IMD’s afternoon bulletin, the depression is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and rough sea conditions. For October 2, the department issued a ‘Red’ warning of over 20 cm rainfall for Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts, an ‘Orange’ warning for 14 districts including Khurda, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Ganjam, and a ‘Yellow’ alert for the rest. On Wednesday itself, isolated heavy rain of 7 to 11 cm was reported or forecast in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea from October 1 to 4.

Revenue and Disaster Management Department officials said district collectors have been instructed to keep emergency teams and equipment ready to handle waterlogging, flash floods, landslides and other rain-related incidents. The state has also asked urban bodies to take precautionary measures in low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding. “We are closely monitoring the system, and all preparedness measures are in place to minimise risks,” a senior official said.

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IMD scientist U. S. Das noted that Odisha continues to receive significant rainfall even after the official southwest monsoon season ended on September 30. Meteorologists explained that depressions are a step before a cyclonic storm and are typically associated with intense rainfall and strong winds. With the system expected to intensify further, officials said disaster response teams would remain on standby until conditions stabilise.

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