As Odisha gears up for the annual Rath Yatra starting Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted widespread rainfall across the state in the coming days. IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty mentioned a well-marked low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining regions, indicating heavy rainfall for Odisha. The system is expected to intensify and move northwards, leading to heavy to very heavy rainfall in various districts.
The IMD predicts that most parts of Odisha will experience widespread rainfall over the next three to four days, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected in isolated places on July 15. The intensity of rainfall is likely to continue on July 16 and 17, with some areas receiving heavy to very heavy showers. Although the rainfall is expected to gradually decrease from July 18, scattered to fairly widespread rain will persist in many districts until July 19.
A Red Warning has been issued by the weather agency for Jagatsinghpur and Puri districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall in a few places and extremely heavy rainfall in one or two locations until the morning of July 16. Mohanty highlighted the possibility of heavy rainfall, including extremely heavy rainfall, in Puri, with the coastal city likely to experience heavy rainfall activity tomorrow. Additionally, rough to very rough sea conditions are expected along the Odisha coast from July 15 to July 17, with squally winds reaching 40-50 kmph and gusting up to 60 kmph.
The IMD has cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea during this period due to adverse weather conditions and rough seas. Residents in districts prone to heavy rainfall have been advised to stay vigilant and adhere to advisories issued by local authorities to ensure safety.
