India, Oct. 19 -- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal on October 21, prompting a rain and thunderstorm alert for several districts of Odisha over the next three days.

According to the IMD's mid-day bulletin issued on Sunday, a cyclonic circulation currently lies over the south Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal, extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal around October 21. The system is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over the central parts of the south Bay of Bengal and adjoining west-central Bay within the next 48 ...