Bhubaneswar: Low pressure-induced rain lashed Odisha Tuesday which dampened Durga Puja festivities in the state, while three persons were killed in separate places when lightning struck them.
Gusty surface wind uprooted three huge Durga puja pandal gates in different places but there was no report of any casualty, police said.
While all parts of Odisha received rainfall, the high intensity downpour along with gusty surface wind in coastal districts left several trees uprooted and separated branches blocking roads in different places.
Director of Regional Meteorological centre, Bhubaneswar, HR Biswas said: “While light to moderate rainfall has occurred across the state, the intense spell of rain has been recorded in coastal districts. Bhadrak has recorded the highest 97 mm rainfall in last 12 hours ending at 5.30 PM.”
Bhadrak was followed by Jajpur (46), Puri (43.3), Khurda (32), Chandbali (29.2), Cuttack (28.8) and Baripada (26). The state capital of Bhubaneswar recorded 16.4 mm of rainfall. Rain water engrossed into Bhadrak district headquarters hospital causing difficulties for the patients and attendants, officials said.
Meanwhile, IMD in its special bulletin said that the low pressure formed over westcentral Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood now lies over westcentral BoB off Andhra Pradesh coast.
The IMD forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 cm to 20 cm) in the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput and Kandhamal. It also predicted heavy rainfall (7 cm to 11 CM) in 17 other districts till 8.30 am of Wednesday.
Biswas said that the rainfall activities are likely to decline towards afternoon of Wednesday in coastal region.
However, some people braved the rain and visited some puja pandals in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
However, collapse of a puja pandal gate at Damana in Bhubaneswar sparked fear among the people to come out of the houses. Similarly, Puja pandal collapse incidents were reported from Vyasnagar in Jajpur district and Raghunatth Bazar in Jagatsinghpur.
But devotees who had gathered at the puja pandal in Damana had a close shave when the pandal, lashed by heavy rain and strong winds, collapsed. However, no casualties were, reported in these incidents, police said.
Meanwhile, reports from Balasore and Jajpur districts said that three people were killed due to lightning during the intense spell of rains. While one person died in Balasore district, two others died in Jajpur district, officials said.
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) in a letter to all district collectors directed them to deal with the situation caused due to low pressure induced rainfall.
PTI
