Odisha weather clears, threat of rain lingers

After being pounded by heavy downpour for days most parts of Odisha witnessed a bright day today but the threat of rain lingered.
The local metereological centre has forecast rain and thundershower in a few places in the state during the next 24 hours.
The well marked low pressure area over southwest Madhya Pradesh and its neighbourhood today lies over northern Saurashtra and adjoining Gujurat region. It is likely to concentrate into a depression shortly over Kutch and its neighbourhood, the Met office said.
Under its impact, rain and thundershower would occur in some places of Odisha. Strong gusty surface wind with speed reaching 35-45 kmph and gusting up to 55 kmph is likely to prevail along and off Odisha Coast.

As sea condition would be moderate to rough, fishermen have been advised to be cautious while venturing into the sea, the Met office added.
The flood-like situation in Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts has improved substantially since the rainfall subsided but road links are yet to be fully restored, officials said.

Asa aresult vehicular movement remained disrupted for the third day on NH-26, which connects Nabarangpur town with western Odisha and also Raipur in Chhatishgarh, they said.
Though repair work of Chilkili bridge and its approach road was on on a war footing, it may take another day to restore road traffic over the bridge on NH-26. Repair work of Mokia bridge was also going on in full swing.

Nabarangpur district collector Rashmita Panda said efforts are on to restore normalcy in road connectivity in the region at the earliest.
While damage caused by the rains in Nabarangpur district was being assessed, officials said preliminary reports showed around 50 houses were damaged and several villages affected. Over 600 persons who had been evacuated in Nabarangpur and Kosagumuda blocks have been sent back to their homes yesterday as the situated improved.
In Kalahandi district, steps are being taken to restore road connectivity which was affected by breaches at three places in a canal of the Indravati project. The breach at Ranibahal was about 50 feet, at Turiguma about 30 feet and at Ghenuguda about 40 feet, said its collector A K Manik, who visited the affected areas.

Road repair work was also progressing in full swing in rain-battered and landslide-hit areas of Malkangiri district, officials said.