The Bhubaneswar regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday sounded the warning for the likely formation of a cyclonic Storm over the central Bay of Bengal around 3 December and asked the government agencies in 15 districts along the southern and coastal parts of the State to remain in a state of readiness to meet with the exigencies of the situation.

“Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kilometre per hour (kmph) gusting to 65 kmph is likely to commence along and off Odisha coasts from the midnight of 3 December and increase gradually becoming 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph from 4 December morning, for the subsequent 12 hours”, the latest IMD weather bulletin warned.

Yesterday’s Low-Pressure area over central parts of Andaman Sea moved west-northwestwards and became a Well marked Low-Pressure Area over the southeast Bay of Bengal & adjoining Andaman Sea in the early morning (0530 hrs IST) on 2 December.

It lay over the southeast Bay of Bengal at 0830 hrs IST of today. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a Depression over southeast & adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal during next 12 hours. Then it is likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a Cyclonic Storm over central parts of the Bay of Bengal during the subsequent 24 hours. It is likely to reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts around 4 December morning. Thereafter it is likely to move north-northeastwards, the weather bulletin informed.

Light to moderate rain or thundershower is very likely to occur at many places over the districts of south coastal Odisha & at a few places over rest districts Odisha on 3 December while light to moderate rain or thundershower is likely to occur at most places over districts of coastal Odisha & at many places over the districts of interior Odisha on 4 December.

Light to moderate rain or thundershower is very likely to occur at most places over the districts of north coastal Odisha and at many places over rest districts of Odisha on 5 December.

The districts which will experience the impact of the cyclonic storm are Ganjam , Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Khordha, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Malkangiri.

The fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea during 3-5 December. Fishermen, whoever is out at sea, are advised to return to the coast by 2 December.

“The offshore and alongshore operations of the ports, ITR Chandipur, Army defence college, Gopalpur, INS Chilka, Chilika Development Authority establishment and ICZMP activities in Bhitarkanika national park are advised to be judiciously regulated on 3 December and to remain suspended on 4 December to save life and property”, the Special Relief Commissioner said on Thursday in an advisory.