Heavy rain lashes Odisha, causes inundation of several areas

Incessant rain lashed parts of Odisha on Wednesday causing inundation of several low-lying areas in the state.

With the Meteorological Centre here forecasting more downpour till Friday, the state government has asked the district administrations to remain prepared to tackle a flood-like situation, officials said.

Heavy rain since Tuesday, triggered by a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal off the Andhra Pradesh coast, caused inundation of low-lying areas in state capital Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, Puri and Balasore districts, officials said.

While Bhubaneswar received 130 mm rain from Tuesday evening till Wednesday morning, Puri received 150 mm rain and Cuttack and Balasore's Bhograi were lashed with 110 mm and 150 mm rain respectively during the period, the MeT Centre said.

Schools in Gajapati, Ganjam and Puri districts have been shut because of the heavy rain, the officials said.

State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi said the Odisha government is prepared to deal with water-logging or a flood-like situation that may arise due to the torrential rain.

The district collectors have been instructed to take appropriate measures and keep the administrative machinery prepared to deal with any exigency, he said.

All the district Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) have been asked to operate round-the-clock and monitor the situation, the Revenue and Disaster Management Department said in an advisory to the district collectors.

Apart from the forecast of heavy downpour till Friday under the influence of the cyclonic circulation and strong monsoon current, most parts of the state may receive light to moderate rain till Sunday, the MeT Centre said.

Issuing an "orange warning" for Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Bhadrak and Ganjam districts, it forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of the districts till Wednesday.

"Yellow warning" was issued for Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Keonjhar, Kandhamal, Boudh and Dhenkanal districts where heavy rain may lash some areas till Wednesday, it said.

Orange warning signals dangerous and stormy weather conditions requiring preparedness, while yellow warning necessitates people to remain alert.

The MeT Centre has forecast heavy rainfall in Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Baragarh and Gajapati districts on Wednesday and Thursday and issued "yellow warning" for the areas on the two days.

Some areas of Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts are likely to receive heavy rain on Thursday and Friday while the intensity of the downpour may subside thereafter, it added.