BHUBANESWAR, DECEMBER 9: Even before recovering from the shocks of the worst-ever natural disaster of the century which hit Orissa barely a month ago, news of yet another cyclonic storm heading towards the state's coast has spread panic among the people as well the state Government which took stock of the situation immediately.Frantic calls from public and NGOs, who were desperate to know about the matter, were received at this newspaper's office on Wednesday. The panic was triggered by a national cable television news which said that a cyclonic storm lay centred about 600 km off the Paradip coast.However, according to the Met office, a low pressure was formed in the south-eastern Bay of Bengal and adjoining east-central Bay at the Andaman Sea. The low-pressure was lying almost 1,500 km off the state's coast, it said.Allaying fears, Met office sources said the low-pressure is at its initial stage of formation and it may or may not intensify into a depression. In fact, it would be premature to predictanything because the low-pressure may dissipate over the sea itself, they said.In the cloud-formation process, the first stage is low pressure which, if intensifies, turns into a depression and after further intensification turns into a cyclonic storm.However, the panic has set the state Government activated this time as senior Government officials took stock of the situation. Chief Meteorologist of Indian Meteorology Department met Revenue Secretary J K Mohapatra and briefed him about the matter and said there is no certainty whether the low-pressure would intensify further.
