Odisha on alert for third cyclone in three weeks; no hint of landfall area yet, says minister

Odisha is bracing for its possible third cyclone in three weeks as a low-pressure area over the Southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The system could further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Wednesday, the IMD said in its evening bulletin. The department advised fishermen and coastal communities to return to the coasts by Sunday and follow weather updates and warnings.

The weather agency, however, is yet to indicate the likely landfall area and trajectory of the system, Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said. Pujari said the state was prepared with its personnel and disaster mitigation machinery for a possible third cyclone in three weeks.

He noted that two severe cyclonic storms, Arnab and Murasu, had already affected Odisha, although both made landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. "We do not know whether the impending cyclone will hit the Odisha coast.

But we need to be prepared, keeping in view the impact of cyclone Arnab. The government has put all collectors on alert, with a focus on districts in the southern, northern and coastal regions," he told news agency PTI. Also Read | Odisha faces questions over reservoir management weeks after Cyclone Arnab batters Ganjam district Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P Patil wrote to district collectors, asking officials placed in the 'orange' and 'yellow' warning categories by the IMD to remain particularly vigilant.

Pujari said the state is expected to receive significant rainfall even if the cyclone did not make landfall there. The weather agency is yet to indicate the likely landfall area and trajectory of the system, he said. The Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar has forecast heavy rainfall of 7-11 cm at isolated places on Wednesday, while very heavy rainfall of 12-20 cm is likely in some districts on Thursday and Friday across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.

The IMD said squally weather, with wind speeds of 45-55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph, was likely to begin along and off the south Odisha coast from the morning of November 17. Apart from Odisha, the IMD also forecast heavy rainfall in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday and Thursday, escalating to very heavy rainfall in isolated places on Thursday, along with thundersqualls with wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph.

It also forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal on Thursday, along with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds. Also Read | Cyclone Murasu weakens into deep depression, to become low-pressure area in 12 hours; IMD forecasts more rain in Andhra Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard has placed its ships, aircraft and disaster response teams on high alert along the east coast in Tamil Nadu to brace for the cyclonic storm, according to the PIB defence wing.

Coast Guard ships and aircraft are on standby for immediate deployment, and radar stations are keeping continuous watch on the system. Remote Operating Stations in Chennai and other coastal hubs are broadcasting advisories in regional languages over Very High Frequency (VHF) channels, as per the statement.

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Content Producer at the Hindustan Times, based in Greater Noida West. With more than five years of experience in digital journalism, Aveek has worked extensively in covering national politics and international affairs, including elections, high-profile diplomatic engagements and geopolitical conflicts.

His experience covers a wide range of major events, including the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, multiple state assembly elections, US elections, Operation Sindoor, Air India crash, India-US trade tensions to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

Before joining Hindustan Times, Aveek worked at the editorial teams of CNN-News18, India TV and Asian News International (ANI), during which he developed an understanding of the high-pressure newsroom environment and honed his skills in covering breaking news, tracking crucial developments, and producing accurate news content under tight deadlines while maintaining editorial standards.

These stints have also provided exposure to diverse newsroom environments and the evolving standards of the media industry. Aveek holds a Master's degree in Global Studies from Ambedkar University Delhi and a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication from Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies.

Outside the newsroom, he enjoys reading, pursuing photography and exploring new places in his free time. You can reach him at aveek.banerjee@htdigital.in.Read More