Heavy rains lash Odisha, more downpour likely

BHUBANESWAR (INDIA): Heavy rains lashed many parts of Odisha today, dampening the Diwali spirit, as low pressure over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression, a senior meteorological department official said today.nn”The well marked low pressure has concentrated into a depression, which was located around 370 km south-southeast of Puri,” S C Sahu, the Director of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) centre here, said.nnThe depression is likely to intensify into a deep depression and cross the Odisha coast between Puri and Chandbali by midnight today or tomorrow morning, he said.nnUnder its impact, rains or thundershowers are likely to occur at most places in coastal Odisha and in the interior parts of the state in the next 24 hours, the MeT office said.nnThere is also possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall in some places of south Odisha and heavy rainfall at some places in the northern districts of the state.nnStrong and gusty surface winds, reaching up to 65 kilometres per hour (kmph), from the northeasterly direction would blow along the Odisha coast.nnSea condition is likely to be rough to very rough and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, the MeT office said.nnLast-minute Diwali shoppers had a difficult time yesterday amidst heavy showers in several areas of the state.nnSource: Press Trust of India