Bay of Bengal depression set to deepen and hit Andhra‑Odisha coast as schools close and fishermen barred from sea

In a special bulletin issued by the Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam at about 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the IMD said the system, centred at 17.9° N / 86.0° E, was moving west‑northwest at roughly 18 km/h and was likely to strengthen into a deep depression over the next 12 hours.

The depression, located about 200 km southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 290 km east of Visakhapatnam, is expected to cross the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during the night of Sept 23 into the early hours of Sept 24.

In anticipation of heavy rain, authorities declared holidays for schools in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Srikakulam and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts on Wednesday, Sept 23.

Rainfall on Tuesday already battered Uttarandhra, with Palasa in Srikakulam district recording 100 mm between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., causing water to overflow onto roads near the railway gate, Kasibugga Junction and Chinabadam. Similar inundation was reported in Tekkali, Santhabommali, Naupada and other nearby towns.

Visakhapatnam district saw its highest totals at Madhurawada (66 mm), followed by Gambheeram (63 mm) and Padmanabham (61 mm). The downpours slowed traffic and left several city neighborhoods, including Seethammadhara, Dairy Farm, Sheela Nagar and Gajuwaka, water‑logged.

In Vizianagaram district, Bhogapuram logged 63 mm of rain, while Poosapatirega, Denkada and Nellimerla each received more than 50 mm. The Agency hill areas – Araku, Paderu, Pedabayalu and Dumbriguda – also recorded over 50 mm, bringing cooler, breezy conditions to the region.

The IMD has issued a Local Cautionary Signal No. III at Kalingapatnam, Bheemunipatnam, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram and Kakinada ports and warned that sea conditions will remain very rough until at least Sept 24. Fishermen have been advised not to venture out to sea along the Andhra Pradesh coast until Sept 25.

Home and Disaster Management Minister V. Anitha instructed officials in all districts to stay alert and take necessary precautionary measures as the system approaches, underscoring the potential for further heavy rainfall in isolated pockets across Kakinada‑Yanam, East and West Godavari, Krishna, YSR Kadapa, Kurnool and other districts.

The IMD’s forecast also calls for isolated heavy showers in districts such as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, Eluru, NTR, and Nandyal, raising the risk of localized flooding and disruption in the coming days.