Two Orissa ports on alert over cyclone ‘Jal’

BHUBANESWAR - Storm warning signals were hoisted in two Orissa ports as cyclonic storm ‘Jal over southwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, officials said.

The storm warning signals were kept hoisted since Friday at Gopalpur port in Ganjam district and Paradip port in Jagatsinghpur district as part of precautionary measures, an official of the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre told IANS.

There is no threat to the state’s coast so far but a few places in the southern part may see rain or thundershowers till Sunday, he said.

Cyclonic storm Jal has moved northwestwards and intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centered about 1,000 km south of Gopalpur, he said.

It would intensify further, cross north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast between Puducherry and Nellore close to Chennai by Sunday night, he added.