Fresh low-pressure area forms over Bay of Bengal as Odisha faces ongoing floods

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced that a fresh low-pressure area has formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal-north Odisha coasts. According to officials, the weather system is a result of an upper air cyclonic circulation over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts.

This new development is likely to trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across northern, interior, and coastal parts of Odisha until September 4. State authorities have already initiated measures to address potential waterlogging and inundation, particularly in the northern and coastal regions.

The incoming weather system arrives while parts of Odisha are already managing an active flood situation. A second wave of the deluge has affected more than 67,000 people across three districts in the state.

For Saturday, the IMD issued heavy rain alerts for several districts. These include flood-affected areas such as Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Kendrapara, and Mayurbhanj. Alerts were also issued for Jajpur, Cuttack, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Baragarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Puri, and Nayagada.

Additionally, the weather department has warned of squally weather with wind speeds reaching 40 to 50 kmph, occasionally gusting to 60 kmph, along and off the Odisha coast until August 31. In response to these conditions, fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea during this period.

"Natural disasters and extreme weather events pose significant operational challenges for regional businesses, supply chains, and local commerce. When infrastructure is disrupted by floods and heavy rainfall, companies operating in affected areas must prioritize employee safety while activating business continuity plans to manage logistical delays and mitigate financial impact." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes