By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Orissa Monday issued a storm warning in all coastal districts and put its four ports on alert, officials said.
K.N. Behra, director-in-charge of the meteorological department here, told IANS that a low pressure area that formed over the northwest region of the Bay of Bengal Sunday had now concentrated into a depression, which is centred about 300 km east of Balasore.
“The system is likely to move in a north westerly direction and cross the Bangladesh coast by Monday night,” he said.
Under its influence, rain or thundershowers are likely in north and south Orissa. Squalls and wind from the westerly direction with 45-65 kmph speed are expected along the Orissa coast.
Behra said the sea will be rough and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the water. Local cautionary signal number three (LC-III) has been hoisted in the four ports of the state.
An official in the special relief commissioner’s office said the government has asked the collectors of all coastal districts to remain alert and not leave their head quarters.