Deep depression over Odisha weakens; IMD forecasts more rain

The Deep Depression over south Odisha and adjoining south Chhattisgarh moved north-northwestwards at 15 kmph during the past six hours before weakening into a Depression, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday (September 25).

The IMD further stated that at 5:30 am IST on Friday, the system was centred over south interior Odisha and adjoining Chhattisgarh. It was close to Nuapada in Odisha, about 90 km west-northwest of Titlagarh, 100 km northwest of Bhawanipatna, 110 km east-northeast of Kanker and 120 km southeast of Raipur.

“It is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards and maintain its intensity of Depression during next 12 hours and weaken into a well marked low pressure area during subsequent 12 hours,” it added.

Depression weakens over Odisha

The system remains under continuous watch through Doppler Weather Radars at Sambalpur and Raipur, stated the IMD.

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The weather system had earlier crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam after moving across the Bay of Bengal, bringing widespread rain over the state for three days.

Andhra Pradesh gets rainfall relief

The rainfall provided relief to Andhra Pradesh, which had been facing a significant rainfall deficit. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to utilise the rainfall to fill available water resources across the state.

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Before landfall, the system was forecast to cross the north Andhra Pradesh-South Odisha coast as a Deep Depression rather than intensify into a cyclone. At 8:30 am on September 23, it was over the westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal, around 60 km southeast of Kalingapatnam.

The system had been moving westwards at about 5 kmph during the previous six hours. The IMD expected it to turn west-northwestwards and cross the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur, close to Kalingapatnam, by the night of September 23.

Heavy rain forecast for Odisha

Rainfall remained a concern across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Odisha was forecast to receive light to moderate rain at most places, with heavy to very heavy rain at several locations and extremely heavy rain at isolated places over south Odisha on September 23 and 24. Heavy to very heavy rain could continue at isolated locations on September 25 and 26. (With agency inputs)