Bhubaneswar, Sep 22: The Odisha government has stepped up preparedness as a depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a deep depression and cross the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur between the night of September 23 and the early hours of September 24.

As many as 33 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams have been deployed or kept in reserve in vulnerable areas. Of these, 24 teams have been deployed across affected districts, including six each in Ganjam and Koraput, three each in Gajapati, Malkangiri and Rayagada, two in Kalahandi and one in Bolangir. Another nine teams have been kept in reserve at the ODRAF unit of the OSAP 8th Battalion in Chhatrapur, Ganjam.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression formed over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal and moved westwards at around 18 kmph during the six hours ending 8.30 am on Tuesday. It was then located around 200 km southeast of Gopalpur.

The IMD said the system is very likely to intensify into a deep depression within 12 hours and continue moving west-northwestwards before crossing the coast. The system is expected to trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across Odisha. Extremely heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in southern districts on September 23 and 24.

A Red Warning has been issued for Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam for September 23-24, while Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri are under Red Warning for September 24-25. Authorities have intensified preparedness and response measures in vulnerable areas.

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