Fresh low pressure trough likely to bring more rain in Odisha

Respite from downpour is likely to be short-lived in Odisha with the MeT department today predicting the formation of another low pressure area on the Bay of Bengal on Sunday.

Though rainfall subsided yesterday, the fresh bout of low pressure is expected to trigger showers in several parts of the state this weekend, an official at the Meteorological Centre here said.

Heavy rain is predicted in the coastal areas from the night of August 25, while parts of Puri, Balasore, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda are likely to experience showers the day after, he said.

Altogether, 13 districts of Odisha receive sporadic rainfall in the past 24 hours, with Malkangiri district receiving the highest rainfall at 8.1 mm, a statement issued by the Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office said.

The average rainfall in the state was recorded at 0.6 mm today, it said.

"With this, the cumulative average rainfall of the state from June 1 till date comes to a surplus of 8.9 per cent over the long-term average rainfall," the SRC statement said.

Seven districts have received surplus rainfall of more than 19 per cent, whereas 22 districts have received normal rainfall during the period, it said, adding that Deogarh is the only region in the state to have suffered a deficit by -20.2 per cent.