A low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a well-marked low and is likely to develop into a depression, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.
The system is expected to bring heavy and continuous rainfall across Odisha, threatening to disrupt Dussehra festivities, including idol immersions.
The IMD has issued statewide alerts:
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Orange Warning (very heavy to extremely heavy rain): Kandhamal, Rayagada, Gajapati, Koraput, and Malkangiri districts.
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Yellow Warning (heavy rain, 7–11 cm): All 25 remaining districts, with eight districts facing the highest likelihood of intense downpours.
Wind speeds are forecast to reach 40–50 kmph in coastal and interior regions.
Authorities have urged people to exercise caution, avoid waterlogged and vulnerable areas, and fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea due to rough conditions. The weather office also warned of possible flooding in low-lying areas and disruption of transport and electricity supply if the rain continues.
