Bhubaneswar, Oct 15: Heavy rains pounded several parts of Orissa today as the depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression with threat of a cyclone, disrupting normal life and dampening Durga Puja celebrations.
The deep depression, which lay centered at about 150 km south-east of Puri and 220 km east-south-east of Gopalpur, has triggered a downpour in most parts of coastal Orissa since yesterday, a senior meteorological official said.
The current environmental condition and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models suggested that the system is likely to move north-westward and cross Orissa coast between Gopalpur and Paradip, he said.
Even as rains lashed many places since yesterday, the Met office forecast more rain and thundershowers at many places in coastal districts of Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore and a few places over interior region.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall was forecast at some places in coastal belt and Local Cautionary signal number-III was kept hoisted in ports of Orissa.
Squally winds with speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph would occur along and off Orissa coast, while sea condition would be very rough, the Met office said asking the fishermen not to venture into the sea. PTI
