The depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to become a low intensity cyclone by Tuesday

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said the depression over the Bay of Bengal may turn into a low-intensity cyclonic storm by October 24. The IMD said in a bulletin that the depression is centered about 610 km south of Paradip in Odisha

“The system is likely to further intensify into a deep depression in the next 24 hours. It will move northwestwards in the next 12 hours and then move towards Bangladesh-West Bengal coasts in the next three days,” it said.

“Though there is a possibility of becoming a cyclonic storm, it is likely to be a very weak system. It will have a minor impact over Odisha, causing light to moderate rainfall. In the ocean the system will be about 200 km from the state coast,” Regional Meteorological Center meteorologist Umashankar Dash told PTI.

Dash said fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea till October 25 as conditions will remain rough. He said the IMD has cautioned farmers to harvest mature paddy crops by October 23 as parts of coastal Odisha may receive light to moderate rain.

Under the influence of the system, light to moderate rainfall is likely at a few places over coastal Odisha on October 23 and at many places on October 24-25.