Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: The Indian Meteorological Department has said that the coastal regions of the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states will be hit by a cyclone tonight due to a deep depression moving at a speed of about 12 km/hour is very likely to intensify and transform into a cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours.

Initially, the depression was over west-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas and then onwards moved westward and intensified, IMD said the latest bulletin. The center of the depression is about 300 km east-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha.

“It (the depression) is very likely to move west-northwestwards. It will cross south Odisha to north Andhra Pradesh coasts between Kalingapatnam and Puri. A cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 60 to 70 km/hour is likely”, Mritunjay Mohapatra, Additional Director General of the IMD, said.

As per the report, there will be a surge in storms of about 0.5 meters above astronomical tides and the result may be flooded situation in low-lying areas of Vizianagaram, Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh and Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda, and Puri districts in Odisha states at the time of landfall.

While there have been reports of heavy rainfall in several parts of the Odisha state since Wednesday, rain and thundershower are also likely to occur in the next 48 hours and it may ease up thereafter, the IMD said.

According to a Met official, the depression caused heavy rainfall in Balasore, Bhadrak, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack and Jajpur districts on Thursday.

Due to the depression, some places in Rayagada, Koraput, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts may witness heavy to very heavy rainfall till Friday, an IMD bulletin said in a report.

The Met center has said that the low-pressure system is also likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall in districts like Balangir, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Bargarh, Mayurbhanj on Friday, the Met center said.

The Met office has issued an advisory to the fishermen due to the adverse weather conditions, directed them not to venture into the sea till Friday. Due to the oncoming weather conditions, the authorities have hoisted danger signal no-3 in all ports of Odisha.

Due to the dangerous weather conditions, the Commissioner for Special Relief BP Sethi has already asked all concerned to remain alert and closely monitor the situation and keep the whole administrative machinery in full preparedness to confront any kind of eventuality and ensure that the control room functions round the clock.

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