A deep depression over the west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal was expected to cross the North Andhra Pradesh-South Odisha coast near Kalingapatnam by late Wednesday night, bringing severe weather, flash floods, and red alerts across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh as authorities evacuated thousands of residents.
Landfall and Track of the Deep Depression
The weather system was expected to cross the North Andhra Pradesh-South Odisha coast near Kalingapatnam by the night of Wednesday, September 23, 2026. According to the India Meteorological Department, the system moved at a speed of about 12 kmph prior to this, preceded by sustained maximum wind speeds of 55 to 65 kmph.
Prior to making landfall, the deep depression over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal moved westwards with a speed of 12 kmph during the past six hours and lay centred at 5:30 am today over the same region,
the Met Department said in an official press release.
As the system pushes inland, its outer bands continue to deliver intense weather across multiple states. Squalls gusting up to 75 kmph remain a hazard along and off the southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh coasts, while fishermen have been strictly advised to stay out of the rough seas.
Evacuations, Flash Floods, and Regional Alerts
The heavy rainfall has triggered immediate defensive measures across the affected states. In Odisha’s landslide-prone Gajapati district, collector Akshay Sunil Agarwal reported that 3,500 people—including pregnant women and elderly residents—were evacuated to temporary relief camps and cyclone centres, where they are being provided cooked food.
Rainfall totals climbed sharply across the region in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday morning. Semiliguda in Koraput district recorded the highest rainfall at 230 mm, followed by Jeypore at 161 mm, and Palasa in Srikakulam district at 141.4 mm. Over 16 locations across Odisha recorded rainfall exceeding 10 cm, while low-lying areas in Srikakulam experienced severe inundation and blocked road connectivity.
The India Meteorological Department maintained a red alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 204.5 mm in several districts, including Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Nabarangpur. Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority managing director Prakhar Jain urged residents in low-lying areas to remain vigilant against sudden flash floods, warning against standing near trees or hoardings during high winds.
Government Response and School Closures
State governments mobilized emergency personnel and suspended normal institutional operations to manage the crisis. Odisha chief secretary Anu Garg placed 11 district collectors on high alert, while the state government deployed 33 teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force. Government employee leaves were cancelled in Ganjam, Koraput, and Kalahandi, and vehicle movement was restricted on hazardous routes such as the Kalinga Ghat between Ganjam and Kandhamal.
Educational institutions closed across multiple districts in both states. Schools and anganwadi centers shut down in Odisha areas including Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, and Gajapati, with Malkangiri extending closures through September 24. Similar holiday declarations shuttered schools in Andhra Pradesh districts such as Alluri Sitarama Raju, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, and Anakapalli.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department warned that the inland system will continue bringing widespread rain, thunderstorms, and strong gusts across Chhattisgarh and Telangana.