Heavy rain to lash state, govt warns 26 collectors

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to extreme heavy rainfall in many parts of the state till September 7 as a low pressure area is all set to form over north Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood.
As per the forecast of IMD, the low pressure area is likely to form during next 48 hours. The Met office said heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in isolated places over districts of Boudh, Sonepur, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Nayagarh, Khurda and Puri with extremely heavy rainfall over Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj and Cuttack districts in next 24 hours.
Many of the remaining places will also receive normal to moderate rain or thundershower during next three days hours, it said.
Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi has asked the collectors of all districts (except Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput) to remain alert as several districts to receive heavy rain.
Very heavy/ extremely heavy rainfall warning may cause flood situations in the Baitarani, Budhabalanga and other river systems ad water logging situation in different parts, he said.
The SRC has asked all collectors to closely monitor the situation, alert all concerned and keep the administrative machinery in full preparedness to meet any eventuality and ensure functioning of control room round the clock.
Fishermen in deep sea were advised to return to coast by Wednesday evening. The Met also asked the fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off Odisha coast from Wednesday evening to September 7 morning.
According to sources, the average rainfall of the state recorded in the past 24 hours is 2.6 mm. Altogether 23 districts have received sporadic rainfall, whereas seven districts – Bhadrak, Cuttack, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Nuapada have not received any rainfall during the period.
With this, the cumulative average rainfall in Odisha from June 1 till date is a surplus of 11.1 per cent over the long term average rainfall.
Eight districts have received surplus rainfall of more than 19 per cent whereas 22 districts have received normal rainfall (+19% to -19%) during the period, the SRC statement said.