Depression formed in the Bay of Bengal: torrential rains from Odisha, MP to Gujarat; IMD issued red and orange alert


Just before the departure of the south-west monsoon in the country, the weather has once again taken a terrible turn. According to the latest bulletin of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the low pressure area over the northwest and adjacent west-central Bay of Bengal has deepened and turned into a strong depression. This monsoon system is moving in the west-northwest direction, hitting the coasts of South Odisha and North Andhra Pradesh.

Meteorologists say that this weather system will cross Odisha and Chhattisgarh and reach entire Madhya Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Gujarat and North Maharashtra during the next 4 to 5 days. Due to its effect, a new round of extremely heavy rainfall with strong stormy winds has started in half of the country.

The first and most deadly blow of this storm that arose in the Bay of Bengal has been on Odisha and bordering Andhra Pradesh:

  • Possibility of more than 200 mm rain: The Meteorological Department has warned of extremely heavy rain in many districts of Odisha (Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Ganjam). Red and Orange Alert Has been released. Here, rainfall of more than 200 mm in 24 hours can lead to flash floods.

  • Winds at the speed of 65-70 km in the sea: Gusty winds are blowing at the speed of 50 to 65 km per hour in the coastal areas. Due to rough sea, the Meteorological Department has given strict instructions to fishermen to stay away from the beach and bring back their boats.

As the depression progresses, both the extent and intensity of rainfall are increasing rapidly over central India:

  • Madhya Pradesh: IMD has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall across Madhya Pradesh during September 12 to 14. Major rivers like Narmada, Chambal, Betwa and Kshipra are already full. Flood-like situations may arise in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Hoshangabad, Sagar and Gwalior divisions, due to which the gates of many big dams may have to be reopened.

  • Chhattisgarh: The administration has been put on high alert due to heavy waterlogging and landslides in southern and central districts including Bastar, Dantewada, Sukma and Raipur.

The western end of this weather system will also affect Gujarat and Rajasthan:

  • Gujarat: Moderate to heavy rain is expected in Saurashtra and South Gujarat (Surat, Valsad, Navsari) due to cyclonic circulation.

  • East Rajasthan: Kota, Baran, Jhalawar and Udaipur divisions may receive torrential rains between September 13 and 15.

  • Maharashtra (Vidarbha and Konkan): There is a possibility of lightning and heavy rain with gusts of up to 50 km/hr over the districts of Vidarbha and North Maharashtra.

A monsoon trough line is also passing along this system, due to which widespread rainfall has been warned over West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and East Uttar Pradesh:

  • There is a yellow alert for heavy rains with thunderstorms in the Ganga coastal districts of West Bengal and Jharkhand.

  • There is a serious danger of lightning (thunderstorm) in Bihar and Eastern UP. The state disaster management has appealed to farmers and herders not to take shelter under trees during bad weather.

The Meteorological Department has instructed the local administration of the affected states to keep NDRF and SDRF teams ready to deal with waterlogging, road connectivity and possible damage to kutcha houses.