Odisha rains: Schools in Puri shut; heavy rainfall floods Konark Temple

Odisha rainfall: Flooding has created difficulties for tourists at the Konark Sun Temple near Puri, with some wading through knee-deep water as the temple entrance remains submerged

Due to persistent heavy rainfall in Odisha caused by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, the Puri district administration announced the closure of all schools on Thursday to ensure student safety.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Puri and Paradip each received 3 cm of rainfall, while Bhubaneswar recorded 2 cm between 5:30 pm on Wednesday and 8:30 am on Thursday. Continuous rainfall across the coastal districts have resulted in waterlogging in several areas.

Flooding has also created challenges for tourists at the Konark Sun Temple near Puri, with some seen wading through knee-deep water as the temple's entrance was submerged. In response, local authorities have deployed pumps to remove water from the temple premises to aid visitors, officials stated.

The IMD's forecast indicates that heavy rain may continue across six districts on Thursday, including Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

Heavy rainfall is expected in Puri, Khurda (including Bhubaneswar), Cuttack (including Cuttack city), Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, and Dhenkanal. Additionally, light to moderate showers or thundershowers could occur in Kendrapara, Ganjam, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar, and Nayagarh, according to officials.

IMD monsoon update: Rain surplus below 6%

India's rainfall surplus stayed below 6 per cent for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, as northern and eastern regions saw an increasing deficit, according to data from the IMD.

With a surplus of 5.44 per cent above normal, it is the highest recorded in three days.

Nagaland continues to face a significant rainfall deficit of 33 per cent, while neighbouring Manipur shows a 32 per cent shortfall. In larger states, Punjab's deficit widened to 29 per cent, up from 28 per cent the previous day, and Bihar remains 28 per cent short of its usual rainfall for the season.

In the south, Kerala is the only state with a deficit of 13 per cent, while other southern states have experienced normal or above-average rainfall this season.

(With agency inputs)