A new low-pressure area has formed in the northwest Bay of Bengal and is expected to intensify into a deep depression, bringing significant rainfall to various parts of Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
In its Saturday morning update, the IMD reported, “The well-marked low-pressure area over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off the coasts of north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha persisted in the same region.”
This low-pressure system is anticipated to move further west-northwestwards towards the north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts. It is likely to intensify into a depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal within the next 24 hours, the IMD stated.
The IMD predicts heavy to very heavy rainfall in some areas of Odisha, while light to moderate rain is expected to affect most regions of the state over the weekend. Similar weather conditions are likely in coastal Andhra Pradesh.
In addition to the rainfall, wind speeds are expected to intensify, leading to rough sea conditions. Officials have issued warnings to fishermen, advising them against venturing into the sea along and off the coasts of south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.
Situation improves in Gujarat
Meanwhile, in Gujarat, the situation is improving as Cyclone Asna, which formed earlier over the coast of Kutch, has moved further into the Arabian Sea towards Oman. While many areas remain inundated, the cyclone left the Gujarat coast without causing significant impact on the region.
The cyclone is projected to continue its west-northwestward movement over the northeast Arabian Sea, away from the Indian coast, over the next 24 hours, before shifting west-southwestwards, according to officials.
In a related development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the situation on the ground in his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency on Friday following a spell of heavy rain. He issued necessary instructions to the administration as several parts of Ahmedabad remained submerged in knee-deep water.
