Wall collapse kills two in Odisha, heavy rain alert issued for 16 districts

Two women were killed and an eight-year-old girl was injured after a wall of an under-construction poultry farm collapsed due to heavy rain in Odisha's Nuapada district, police said on Monday.

The incident occurred on Sunday in the Lakhana area after the wall collapsed, and the deceased were identified as Balmati Sabar (35) and Rupe Sabar (61), a senior officer said.

Injured minor Ridhi Sabar is undergoing treatment, he said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall warning for 16 of 30 districts of Odisha for Monday.

In a weather bulletin, IMD Bhubaneswar Centre said a low-pressure area had formed over the Gangetic West Bengal and neighbourhood on Sunday.

It is likely to move slowly west-northwestwards across Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh during the next two days.

Under its impact, heavy rainfall started in several parts of Odisha, including the state's capital Bhubaneswar, since Sunday.

The weather office said heavy to very heavy rain with lightning and gusty wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is expected to occur in Keonjhar, Angul, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, and Nuapada on Monday.

These districts have been put under the 'orange' warning category, which refers to being prepared to take action.

A 'yellow' warning (be aware) has also been issued for Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nayagarh, Cuttack and Dhenkanal for the day.

Besides, thunderstorms with lightning are likely to occur in some places in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Deogarh, Mayurbhanj, it said.

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off Odisha's coast on Monday.

Following the weather prediction, the state government has asked all district collectors to keep the administrative machinery ready and advised people to take safe shelter during thunderstorm activity.

Due to heavy rain since Sunday 4 pm, some roads in the Balasore town area have been inundated, an official said.

In view of heavy rainfall continuing over the upper catchment areas of the Mahanadi basin, the authorities concerned have opened 20 sluice gates at Hirakud Dam to discharge water.

Speaking to media persons here, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the water levels of major rivers, including Mahanadi, have increased due to heavy rainfall.

However, all rivers were flowing below the danger levels on Monday morning, he said.

Due to the downpour, water entered into some villages and crop fields in Sundargarh and Jharsuguda districts, he said.

Pujari said teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire and emergency services have been kept on alert to deal with any eventuality.

The field-level revenue officers have been asked to shift people if water enters their homes, he said, adding that dry food along with polythene sheets have been kept ready.