Bhubaneswar: The Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar has issued a high alert following the formation of a low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal, positioned close to the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts. Triggered by an active southwest monsoon, the weather system has initiated severe convective activity, leading to widespread rainfall and intense thunderstorms across the region.
According to the official weather update, the system developed at around 5:30 AM under the influence of an upper air cyclonic circulation that had been active over the north Bay of Bengal and adjoining southern Bangladesh. Weather officials reported that this low-pressure system extends up to 7.6 kilometers above sea level and is currently tilting in a south-westward direction with height.
The weather department has placed several districts under a red warning, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated instances of extremely heavy downpours. Severe weather, including frequent lightning and gusty winds, is actively impacting regions such as Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, and Puri. The public has been warned about potential localized flooding, waterlogging in low-lying urban areas, and traffic disruptions.
The low-pressure system is anticipated to move in a west-northwesterly direction across north Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal over the next two days, keeping the intense monsoon conditions active throughout the state.