Odisha Gears Up to Face Eventuality of Cyclone; Wind Speed to Go Upto 75 kmph | Key Updates
The IMD has issued warning for fishermen not to venture near Odisha coast for next five days commencing from May 5
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The Odisha government has geared up to face the eventuality of a cyclone hitting the state and instructed the district officials to be well prepared. Odisha, which has faced the wrath of cyclones consecutively for the past few years, is most likely to witness a cyclonic storm in a few days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has advised people to keep a watch on the weather conditions and accordingly move to a safer place if required.
Odisha Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra on Wednesday said, “The state is well prepared for the eventuality if any. District collectors have been informed about the possible calamity."
Umashankar Das, a senior scientist at IMD, today told news agency ANI, “Cyclonic circulation around Andaman sea will repeat tomorrow and move towards north-west. As per our estimate, wind speed now on would hover between 40-50 kmph, it will further increase May 8 onwards and can go up to 75 kmph." He added that once low-pressure forms, the weather department will know more towards which coast will the winds go.
As Odisha gears up to face another possible cyclonic storm, here are some latest updates:
- The IMD Bhubaneshwar said thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is likely to occur over some parts of districts such as Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Khorda (including Bhubaneswar), Ganjam, Gajapati, Nawarangpur, Kalahandi, and Deogarh during the next three hours.
- The IMD on Wednesday said that a clear picture of the possibility of a cyclone is yet to emerge. The cyclonic circulation over South Andaman Sea and its neighborhood extending up to mid-tropospheric levels persists. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the same region around May 6. It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify gradually into a depression during the subsequent 48 hours, the IMD said.
- IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra made it clear that all low pressures in the sea do not take shape of cyclones and many of them fizzle out within the sea. “The IMD is closely monitoring the development taking place in the South Andaman Sea. We will be able to make a prediction (about cyclone) only after the low pressure is formed," he had explained.
- In a Twitter post, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister RP Swain urged people not to start panic buying to stock essential commodities.
- As the sea would be rough, the weather department has also issued warning for fishermen around Andaman sea area, east-central Bay of Bengal and south-east Bay of Bengal not to venture near coast for next five days commencing from May 5.
The people of Odisha have witnessed successive cyclonic storms during summer for the last three years. They are Cyclone Yaas in 2021, Cyclone Amphan in 2020 and Cyclone Fani in 2019.
(with inputs from PTI)
