The well-marked low pressure over the Bay of Bengal has strengthened into a depression, according to the Regional Meteorological Department in Bhubaneswar, and is highly likely to pass the north Odisha coast near Chandbali in Bhadrak by Monday morning.
At 5.30 p.m. on Sunday, the depression over northwest Bay of Bengal and surrounding Odisha coast was tracked 80 kilometers east-southeast of Chandbali, 70 kilometers east of Paradip, and 140 kilometers south-southeast of Balasore, according to the meteorological office.
Meanwhile, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has issued an alert for many Odisha districts as major rivers and their tributaries continue to rise as a result of persistent rain in the basin and higher catchment areas caused by low pressure.
“Rivers including the Brahmani, Baitarani, and Mahanadi are predicted to get a considerable quantity of runoff due to the existence of a well-marked low-pressure region over the Bay of Bengal and its subsequent deepening to depression. In districts like Angul, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Kendrapara, Dhenkanal, and Jajpur, the water levels of the Brahmani River and its tributaries are predicted to rise. The river Baitarani’s water levels are likely to rise in the districts of Keonjhar and Bhadrak, according to the CWC’s advice.
“In the districts of Cuttack, Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Jharsuguda, and Bolangir, water levels of the Mahanadi and its tributaries are likely to rise. Flooding is likely in Odisha, as the IMD forecasts exceptionally heavy rains. Rengali Dam on the Brahmani River and Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River both have large reservoirs. Dam releases may be carried out in accordance with SOP following notification of downstream districts”, according to the CWC alert.
The river Jalka in the Subarnarekha basin in the Balasore district is now running over the danger level, according to the CWC advisory.
Between 8.30 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. today, Puri had the most rainfall (181.7 mm), followed by Bhubaneswar (122.3 mm), and Paradeep (53.6 mm).
