With the depression formed over north Sri lanka and its adjoining area over the Gulf of Mannar and south-west Bay of Bengal on Tuesday concentrating into a deep depression on Wednesday, the local Meteorological Centre sounded a cyclone warning along the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coasts.
local Meteorological Centre Director Sarat Sahu said the deep depression is likely to take the shape of a cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours and trigger heavy rainfall in south and coastal Odisha in the next 48 hours.
The deep depression, lying over south-south-west of the Bay of Bengal at a distance of 780 km off the Gopalpur coast, is moving in north-north-west direction towards the Andhra Pradesh coast.
“Under the influence of the cyclone, there will be widespread rainfall in some parts of Odisha on May 19 with heavy rainfall at one or two places. There will be heavy to very heavy rainfall in the south and coastal districts, especially onMay 20,” Sahu said. The wind speed would be around 45-50 kmph.
Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea during the period as the sea condition would be rough.
“Besides, considering the wind speed, we have hoisted distant cautionary signal no-1 in the Paradip and Gopalpur Ports,” Sahu added.