Odisha Weather Alert: IMD Issues Red Warning for 6 Districts Amid Severe Heavy Rainfall and Flash Flood Threat
The State of Odisha has been placed on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a Red Warning for six districts, predicting extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 km/h. According to meteorological officials, the severe weather conditions are driven by a well-marked low-pressure area developing over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal regions of Gangetic West Bengal.
Manorama Mohanty, Director of IMD Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, confirmed that the low-pressure system is expected to trigger widespread thunderstorms, lightning, and intense precipitation across coastal and interior Odisha over the next 24 hours.
Red, Orange, and Yellow Alerts Issued: District-Wise Breakup
The weather bureau has categorised regional weather advisories based on anticipated rainfall intensity:
Red Alert Districts: Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jajpur, and Keonjhar (expected to receive extremely heavy downpours exceeding 200 mm).
Flash Flood & Landslide Risk: Inundation of low-lying urban/rural areas and localised landslides in hilly terrain across northern and coastal districts.
Port & Maritime Advisories: Local Cautionary Signal Number Three (LAC-III) has been hoisted at all major ports along the Odisha coast. Fishermen have been strictly advised against venturing into deep seas due to turbulent water conditions.
Precipitation Impacts Across Capital City and Urban Centres
Before the low-pressure system's intensification, capital city Bhubaneswar and peripheral regions experienced sudden severe thunderstorm activity, bringing temporary relief from elevated humidity levels while causing localised waterlogging and traffic disruptions.
District administrations across the state have deployed rapid response teams to monitor river water levels and low-lying residential clusters.
Summary of IMD Warning & Impact Matrix
| Weather Parameter | Official IMD Forecast / Advisory |
|---|---|
| Primary Driver | Low-pressure area over Northwest Bay of Bengal |
| Red Alert Zone | Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Keonjhar |
| Wind Speeds | 40–50 km/h squally weather along coastal belts |
| Maritime Warning | Port Signal LAC-III hoisted; total ban on sea navigation for fishermen |
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