The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a moderate light rainfall warning with isolated heavy rain in many parts of Odisha and West Bengal in the wake of a low-pressure area intensifying into a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal.

As per the latest weather bulletin, the low-pressure area has intensified into a deep depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal and is now moving north-northwards with a speed of 18km/h. The depression is expected to continue moving in the same direction and further intensify while crossing the Bangladesh coast between Mongla and Khepupara on Saturday morning, 18 November, the weather agency predicted.

Depression over WC BoB intensified into a Deep Depression at 0530 IST of 16th Nov and lay about 530 km SSW of Digha (WB). Likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and intensify further, cross Bangladesh coast between Mongla and Khepupara around morning of 18th Nov. pic.twitter.com/7iUv6rXdux

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 16, 2023

IMD scientist Umashankar Das while speaking to ANI divulged further details about the low-pressure area and said that rainfall is expected from Thursday midnight. He said that the coastal parts of Odisha as well as Malkangiri, Koraput, and Rayagada districts are expected to receive light to moderate rainfall over the weekend.

“If we look at the weather system, yesterday's low-pressure system, which is moving almost north-northwest and concentrating into a depression over west-central Bay of Bengal...Under its influence, we are expecting rainfall activity from midnight today. Light to moderate rainfall is likely over parts of Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada...", he said.

#WATCH | Odisha: IMD scientist Umashankar Das said, "If we look at the weather system, yesterday's low-pressure system, which is moving almost north-northwest and concentrating into a depression over west-central Bay of Bengal...Under its influence, we are expecting rainfall… pic.twitter.com/4WcjhrFSxs

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2023

According to IMD, the low-pressure area has intensified into a deep depression moving north-north-westwards and it is expected to recurve north-eastwards and reach the Northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast on November 17 and further reach near Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coast on November 18.

In the meantime, IMD has also issued rainfall warnings for coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, West Bengal, Odisha, and north-eastern states like Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Assam, and Meghalaya.

Light to moderate rainfall is expected at many places with isolated heavy rainfall on November 16 and 17 over coastal districts of Odisha and West Bengal. Similarly, light to moderate rainfall is expected at many places with isolated heavy rainfall over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura between November 16 and 18. The weather agency predicted that isolated heavy rainfall will be witnessed over south Assam and east Meghalaya on November 17.

In the meantime, IMD has also advised fishermen to not venture into the sea during the affected days, till further notice. The weather agency warned about rough to very rough sea conditions off the West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh coasts on November 16 and 17.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)