IMD issues Red Alert for Odisha as depression forms over Bay of Bengal

A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression, prompting the IMD to issue a Red Alert for extremely heavy rainfall in several districts of Odisha over the next 48 hours. Warnings are in place for landslides and floods.

A well-marked low-pressure area has intensified into a depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas off the north Odisha-West Bengal coasts, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue red, orange and yellow alerts across Odisha. The IMD has forecast extremely heavy to very heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, over parts of the state during the next 48 hours.

Red Alert and Warnings Issued

A Red Alert, heavy to very heavy rainfall warning has been issued for Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Dhenkanal and Angul districts, with several other parts of the state likely to receive heavy rainfall. Extremely heavy rain may trigger landslides in hilly areas and flash floods in low-lying regions. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the deep sea and adjoining coastal areas for the next four days due to rough sea conditions. Local Alert-Cautionary Signal (LAC-III) has also been hoisted at ports across Odisha for the next 24 hours.

Depression to Intensify Further

Director, IMD Bhubaneswar, Manorama Mohanty, speaking to ANI, said, "Today the low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Odisha and West Bengal coast has intensified into a depression... It is very likely to move northwestward and intensify further into a deep depression during the next 24 hours and cross the north Odisha and West Bengal coast between Paradeep and Sagar Island around forenoon or noon of 27th July. Odisha is likely to receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall activity during the next three days with strong wind as well."Earlier today, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall, over Odisha on July 26 and July 27 amid a well-marked low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha-West Bengal coasts.According to the IMD, the well-marked pressure area is very likely to concentrate into a depression over the same region during the next 12 hours. It is likely to move northwestwards and cross the North Odisha-West Bengal coasts around the forenoon of July 27.In a post on X, IMD wrote, "Yesterday's Low Pressure Area over west Bengal coast & adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal lay as a Well-marked Pressure Area over northwest Bay of Bengal & adjoining Odisha-West Bengal coasts at 0530 Hrs IST of today, 26th July 2026." (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)