Incessant rains hit normal life in Odisha, more downpour forecast

BHUABANESWAR: Normal life was disrupted in many parts of Odisha on Tuesday by incessant rains induced by a low pressure and the weatherman has forecast more downpour in the next 24 hours.

The low pressure area is active in northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Odisha-West Bengal coasts with associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 5.8 km, the IMD said.

The low pressure has activated the monsoon and Odisha as a whole has received an average rainfall of 22.7 mm against the normal of 6.9 mm, which is 228 per cent excess, the Regional Meteorological Centre said.

The system is likely to move in the north-west direction towards West Bengal coast and bring heavy rains across Odisha. The Regional Meteorological Centre here has issued orange and yellow warnings for the districts, it said.

Kandhamal and Ganjam districts received maximum rain in the last 24 hours due to the low pressure, which has caused light to moderate rainfall in many areas, the met office said.

Kandhamal district received an average rainfall of 58.7 mm which is 736 per cent more than the daily normal rainfall of 6.8 mm during the monsoon.

A report from Kandhamal district said that incessant rainfall lead to washing away of a culvert at Baliguda and paralysed road communication in the locality.

The IMD said the highest rainfall of 302 mm was recorded in Baliguda. In Ganjam there was 121 mm in Dharakote, 120 mm in Seragada and 102.2 mm in Purosotampur. Lamtaput in Koraput district received 95.4 mm of rainfall followed by K Nuagaon in Kandhamal where it was 90.2 mm. Phiringia and Kotagrah in Kandhamal received 89.2 mm and 87 mm respectively, Papdahandi in Nawarngpur 85 mm. In Ganjam Berhampur received precipitation of 78.4 mm, Sanakhemundi 71 mm and Gopalpur 69.7 mm.

The IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh, Bolangir, Angul, Deogarh, Bargarh, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda and issued orange warning in the areas.

Yellow warning of heavy rainfall was issued in the districts of Nuapada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts.

The authorities of the Hirakud reservoir opened two more sluice gates on Monday night to release excess water from the dam. So far excess water was being discharged through six of its gates, an official said.

The Sambalpur district administration has alerted the people at Hirakud, Sambalpur and Burla areas before opening the gates.