In a message on Tuesday, the SRC said India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday informed that the low pressure over South Andaman Sea and adjoining Malacca had moved westward and lay over South Andaman Sea at 8.30 am.

The system is likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over southeast Bay of Bengal around November 30. Thereafter, it is likely to move northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over southwest & adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal during subsequent 48 hours, the IMD said.

Under the influence of anticipated system, squally wind speed reaching 40 to 50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely over central Bay of Bengal adjoining to southwest Bay of Bengal from December 1 and it is likely to become 50 to 60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph the following day.

The SRC advised the fishermen not to venture into deep sea areas of Central Bay of Bengal from the morning of December 1. The fishermen already in deep sea should return to the land by the date, he added.

The SRC asked the Fisheries and ARD department to ensure that communication of alert/warning is issued to the fishermen. The department has also been told to inform the SRC about the status of fishermen and boats in the sea at the earliest.

Among the deceased, four were from Khurda district, two from Balangir district, and one each from Angul, Boudh, Jagatsinghpur, Gajapati, Puri and Dhenkanal districts. Three persons from Khurda, 8 from Balangir and one each from Cuttack, Angul and Ganjam also sustained injuries in the lightning strikes. Eight cattle casualties were also reported from different parts of the state.

“Ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakhs will be paid to each of the bereaved families. In case of cattle death, assistance would be extended as admissible,” it added.

The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), informed that the cloud-to-cloud lightning till 5.30 pm stood at 36,597 whereas the cloud-to-ground strikes was recorded at a scary 25,753.

The coastal region of Odisha, including the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, witnessed heavy rain with lightning strikes. Lightning bolts continued uninterrupted during the afternoon thundershower activities in Bhubaneswar and its neighbourhood. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 126 mm and 95.8 mm of rainfall respectively during a 90-minute spell in the afternoon.

Notably, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast likely formation of a low pressure area over North Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours under the influence of a cyclonic circulation, which is active, over the same region. The state may also witness thunderstorm activity with heavy falls during next 24 hours. Heavy to very heavy rainfall likely in some districts till September 7.

The weather agency has predicted heavy rainfall at one or two places in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Angul, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Boudh, Sonepur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal during the next 24 hours. Yellow warning of thunderstorm with lightning has also been issued for one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Khurda, Puri, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Sonepur and Boudh for Sunday.

It has advised people to take shelter in safe places during thunderstorm activity.

In a release on Thursday, the Special Relief Commissioner said the low-lying areas along rivers Baitarani, Brahmani and Mahanadi have faced flood-like situation after the incessant heavy rains. These rivers are in a spate in 15 districts in the state.

As many as 762 villages under 90 blocks of these districts including Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Keonjhar and Boudh are facing flood-like situation. Similarly, 66 wards in 17 urban local bodies (ULBs) have been flooded.

While around 1.2 lakh people have been affected, total 6,834 people have been rescued from inundated villages and shifted to safe shelters so far.

Dry and cooked food, drinking water and necessary medicines have been provided to the affected people. The local administrations have made arrangements to provide cooked food free of cost in 136 places.

In the Mahanadi system, the 4.72 lakh cusec floodwater was being released at Khairamal, 7.86 cusec at Baramula and 9.18 cusec at Mundali barrage in the evening. However, the outflow at Mundali has been steady since 4 pm, the SRC stated in the release.