A deep depression is strengthening over the Bay of Bengal and will turn into a storm today. As a result, it will make landfall between the night of the 24th and the morning of the 25th. Authorities have therefore issued a yellow alert for the coastal regions of Odisha and West Bengal due to the approaching storm.
The weather center reports that the deep depression over the East Central Bay of Bengal is moving west-northwest at a speed of 3 km per hour. Furthermore, it is centered 670 km southeast of Paradip and 720 km south-southeast of West Bengal’s Sea Island. It will continue moving west-northwest and will develop into a storm later today in the East Central Bay of Bengal.
Additionally, the storm will intensify and strengthen into a severe storm over the North West Bay of Bengal by tomorrow. It is expected to cross the coast between Odisha’s Puri and West Bengal’s Sagar Island tomorrow night or within 25 hours. However, the IMD has not confirmed the exact landfall location yet. Wind speeds, moreover, are expected to range between 100 and 120 km/h as the storm approaches. The weather center also warns that North Odisha will bear the brunt of the storm’s impact.
Meanwhile, authorities have issued a red alert in 7 districts, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall tomorrow and the day after. Rough seas have raised danger signal number 1 at Gopalpur, Paradip, and Dhamra ports. In response, the Revenue Minister has ordered the evacuation of people from affected districts by tonight. To support residents, officials have set up 500 temporary shelters and 250 relief centers across the affected regions.