By Krishna Dua 
Severe Rainfall Alert Ahead of PM Visit in Odisha
Bhubaneswar, September 27, 2025 – As dark clouds gather over the eastern seaboard, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe orange alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across Odisha, warning of potential flash floods and disruptions just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit on September 28. The depression over the Bay of Bengal, intensifying into a deep depression, is expected to cross the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast between Puri and Visakhapatnam by early morning, bringing 115-204 mm of rain in 24 hours to coastal districts like Ganjam, Puri, Khordha, and Jagatsinghpur. Winds gusting up to 50-60 km/h could uproot trees and damage infrastructure, prompting the Odisha government to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in 10 southern districts and shift Modi’s rally venue from Berhampur to Jharsuguda. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, briefing the media in Bhubaneswar today, stated, “The PM’s safety is paramount; we’ve coordinated with the Centre to ensure the visit proceeds smoothly despite the weather.” With temperatures dropping to 24°C amid 80% humidity, this alert— the most severe since Cyclone Fani in 2019— isn’t just meteorological mayhem; it’s a test of Odisha’s resilience, where climate vulnerabilities clash with political priorities. As evacuations begin in low-lying areas and NDRF teams deploy to Puri and Gopalpur, September 27 serves as a stark reminder of India’s eastern flank’s fragility, where monsoon’s remnants meet a leader’s landmark, demanding not just umbrellas but urgent infrastructure overhauls.
The IMD’s bulletin, released at 4:00 PM on September 26, paints a grim picture: The cyclonic circulation over the northwest Bay of Bengal has deepened into a depression, moving northwest at 8 km/h toward the Odisha coast, likely intensifying further before landfall between midnight and 6:00 AM on September 28. Orange alerts— the second-highest in IMD’s color code—cover 12 districts: Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khordha, and Puri, with forecasts of 115-204 mm rain and winds up to 60 km/h. Yellow warnings extend to 10 more, including Bhadrak and Balasore, expecting 64.5-115.5 mm. The system, born from a low-pressure area on September 24, echoes the 2024 depression that flooded Bhadrak, displacing 50,000. Majhi’s administration, drawing from Fani’s 2019 playbook—1.2 million evacuated—has prepositioned 20 NDRF teams, 50 ODRAF units, and 10 SDRF squads, with power boats and choppers on standby. “We’ve learned from Fani; no lives will be lost,” Majhi assured, activating the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) at 6:00 PM. Alert? Acute—IMD’s oracle, Odisha’s ordeal.
Odisha’s vulnerability to cyclones is etched in its geography—a 480 km coastline battered by 10 depressions annually, per NDMA 2025 data. The Bay of Bengal, warmer by 0.5°C since 2000 (IPCC 2024), spawns 5% more intense systems, with 2024’s Dana (October) killing 50 and damaging ₹15,000 crore. Southern districts like Ganjam—Fani’s epicenter—bear 60% impact, low-lying areas submerging 2 meters deep. 2025’s depression, codenamed “Biparjoy 2.0” in internal alerts, risks 100,000 evacuations, per Revenue Department’s September 26 estimate. Vulnerability? Visceral—coast’s curse, cyclone’s chronicle.
PM Modi’s visit, originally slated for Berhampur on September 28 to inaugurate the ₹1,000 crore Paradip Port expansion and address a BJP rally, has been rerouted to Jharsuguda amid the alert. The shift, announced by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on September 27 morning, cites “safety first,” with the PM’s itinerary now including a virtual port launch from Bhubaneswar and a rally at Jharsuguda’s indoor stadium. Modi’s September 28 schedule—10:00 AM flight from Delhi, 11:30 AM Paradip virtual—now pivots to 2:00 PM Jharsuguda address, 5:00 PM Bhubaneswar meeting. Pradhan, Odisha BJP chief, tweeted, “Weather won’t dampen PM Modi’s resolve for Odisha’s development.” Visit? Veered—alert’s alteration, PM’s pivot.
Government’s response is a whirlwind of warnings and welfare, Majhi convening a 8:00 AM cabinet meet September 27 to activate the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA). 20 NDRF teams from Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam, 50 ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force) units, and 10 SDRF squads deploy to Ganjam-Puri, with 100 power boats and 5 choppers on alert. SEOC coordinates with IMD’s Bhubaneswar center, real-time radar feeds guiding evacuations—50,000 from Gopalpur, 30,000 from Puri lowlands. Power Minister Pratap Jena announced 24/7 electricity teams, 500 transformers prepped. Welfare? Whirlwind—response’s rigor, rain’s rampage reined.
Evacuation efforts, underway since September 26 evening, target 1 lakh from coastal hamlets, OSDMA’s door-to-door drives in Ganjam yielding 40,000 sheltered in 200 cyclone centers stocked with 72-hour kits—rice, dal, ORS. Puri’s Jagannath Temple, a rain magnet, sees 10,000 pilgrims evacuated to Bhubaneswar shelters. Challenges: 20% resistance in fisherfolk communities, per Revenue Secretary S. Kemparaj’s September 27 briefing, mitigated by sarpanch incentives. Efforts? Evocative—evacuation’s essence, lives’ lifeline.
Economic fallout looms large, the depression threatening ₹5,000 crore in damages—agriculture 60% hit, kharif paddy submerging 2 lakh hectares in Ganjam, per Agriculture Department’s September 27 estimate. Fisheries, Odisha’s 10% GDP, face ₹1,000 crore loss—50,000 boats grounded, per Fisheries Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain. Tourism dips 30%—Puri’s Konark Sun Temple visitors down, per Odisha Tourism’s real-time data. Fallout? Formidable—economy’s ebb, alert’s aftermath.
Climate change amplifies Odisha’s cyclone curse, Bay of Bengal’s 0.5°C warming since 2000 spawning 5% more intense systems (IPCC 2024). 2024’s Dana (October) ₹15,000 crore, 50 dead—2025’s depression echoes, NDMA’s 2025 report warning 20% frequency rise by 2030. Adaptation? Acute—change’s challenge, Odisha’s ordeal.
Relief readiness is Odisha’s forte, post-Fani 2019’s 1.2 million evacuations (zero deaths) blueprinting 2025. 200 cyclone centers, 100,000 kits (rice 5kg/person, dal 1kg), medical teams with 50,000 ORS packets. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana funds ₹2 lakh houses, 50,000 rebuilt post-2024. Readiness? Resilient—relief’s regimen, rain’s reckoning.
Political palette paints the alert’s prism, BJP’s Pradhan criticizing AAP’s “negligence” in Bhadrak floods (2024 echo), while Majhi’s BJD retorts “central aid delay.” Modi’s visit, now Jharsuguda-focused, eyes ₹10,000 crore Paradip expansion—port’s 100 MT capacity by 2027. Palette? Polarized—politics’ pigment, PM’s pivot.
Community’s courage shines in cyclone corridors, Ganjam’s fisherwomen self-help groups (SHGs) under NRLM evacuating 5,000, per September 27 district report. Puri’s Jagannath servitors, 10,000 strong, secure temple idols in bunkers, tradition’s tenacity. Courage? Community’s—corridors’ call.
September 27, 2025, alerts severe—PM’s visit veiled, Odisha’s ordeal. From IMD’s oracle to government’s gambit, economic ebb to community’s courage—rain’s reign, resilience’s rise.