A forecast of extremely heavy to very heavy rainfall has triggered a red alert from the India Meteorological Department for six Odisha districts: Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Dhenkanal and Angul.
The IMD has also flagged thunderstorms and lightning for these areas, warning that the rain could result in landslides in hilly regions and flash floods in low-lying areas.
The alert follows a Low Pressure Area over the West Bengal coast intensifying into a Well-marked Pressure Area over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha-West Bengal coasts, as of 5:30 am IST on Sunday.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the deep sea or nearby coastal waters for the next four days due to rough sea conditions.
Central Maharashtra has also been placed under a red alert this week as part of broader heavy rainfall activity across the country.
(Image: McKay Savage (CC BY 2.0))
