System intensifies into depression

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has alerted all districts, particularly those in the southern and coastal regions, to remain prepared to deal with any adverse weather conditions as a possible third cyclone in three weeks brews over the Bay of Bengal. The precautionary measures are being taken as Cyclone Arnab wreaked havoc in the southern districts in October and Cyclone Murasu triggered rainfall in the region earlier this month, Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Sunday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its latest bulletin, said a well-marked low pressure has “intensified into a depression” over the Bay of Bengal and moved nearly northwards with the speed of 10 kmph in three hours till 8.30 am. The system lay centred 1,130 km south-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha. “It is very likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further into a cyclonic storm over the central parts of the south and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal on November 16 and into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on November 17,” the weather office said.

The system is likely to intensify further and move northwestwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast during the subsequent two days, the IMD said. “Though the IMD has not forecast the landfall of the impending cyclone so far, we have put districts on alert keeping in view of the experience,” Pujari said.

In view of the IMD forecast, the southern Odisha districts have already launched a campaign to make people aware of the possible cyclone. The region was severely affected by devastating floods during Cyclone Arnab that made landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on October 28.

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