Bhubaneswar: A fresh low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal could intensify into a depression and cause heavy rainfall across Odisha from Wednesday, coinciding with the Durga Puja festivities, the IMD said. The low pressure area formed over west-central Bay of Bengal around 5.30 pm, it said in a bulletin on Tuesday evening.

“It is likely to move north-westwards and intensify into a depression over west- central and adjoining north-west Bay of Bengal by morning of October 2 and cross south Odisha-North Andhra Pradesh coasts around morning hours of October 3,” it said.

For Tuesday, heavy rainfall (Yellow alert) has been forecast at one or two places in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts. Thunderstorms with lightning and wind speed of 30–40 kmph are likely over coastal, adjoining and northern districts including Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur.

The rainfall distribution may increase in the coming days, with heavy showers (Yellow alert) at one or two places in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal, accompanied by wind speed of 40–50 kmph in warning districts. An Orange Warning for very heavy rainfall (7 cm–20 cm) has been issued for one or two places in Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Kandhamal for October 2.

Thunderstorms with lightning are likely across most parts of Odisha, while coastal and other districts may experience wind speed reaching up to 40–50 kmph. In addition, 12 districts including Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh and Cuttack may witness heavy rainfall (Yellow alert).

Sea conditions are expected to be moderate to rough along and off Odisha’s coasts and over the north and central Bay of Bengal. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during this period, and those already at sea were urged to return to the coast by evening.