Bhubaneswar: Odisha government Tuesday stepped up preparedness and deployed 33 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams in vulnerable districts as a depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a deep depression and trigger heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in several parts of the state.
Official sources said 24 ODRAF teams have been deployed in vulnerable districts, including six in Ganjam, three in Gajapati, six in Koraput, three in Malkangiri, three in Rayagada, two in Kalahandi and one in Balangir.
Nine additional ODRAF teams have been kept in reserve at the OSAP 8th Battalion, ODRAF Unit at Chhatrapur in Ganjam district.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Warning for Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam for September 23-24, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places.
A Red Warning has also been issued for Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri for September 24-25. As a precautionary measure, district administrations in these four districts have ordered closure of all schools.
The depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal moved westwards at a speed of 18 kmph during the past six hours and lay about 200 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, 200 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, 210 km south of Puri in Odisha and 290 km east of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
The system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours, the IMD said.
Continuing its west-northwestward movement, the system is likely to cross the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur as a deep depression from the night of September 23 to early morning of September 24.
According to the IMD forecast, light to moderate rain is likely at many places in Odisha September 22, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places.
On September 23 and 24, light to moderate rain is likely at most places in south Odisha, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places September 25, while heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places September 26.
The IMD said winds over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal are likely to increase from the evening of September 22, reaching 50-60 kmph with gusts up to 70 kmph. From September 23 to the evening of September 24, wind speed is likely to increase further to 55-65 kmph, gusting up to 75 kmph.
Sea conditions are likely to remain rough to very rough, and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the west-central, adjoining northwest and southwest Bay of Bengal and along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha-West Bengal coasts until September 24.
Strong winds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, have already commenced along and off the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts and are likely to gradually intensify from the evening of September 22.
During the 24 hours ending at 0830 hours September 22, Odisha recorded an average rainfall of 13.5 mm, with the highest rainfall of 78 mm recorded at Pattamundai in Kendrapara district.
According to the morning flood bulletin issued by the Water Resources Department at 1000 hours September 22, water levels of major rivers in south Odisha remained below their respective danger marks.
The Rushikulya river stood at 76.83 metres at Sorada against a danger mark of 81.99 metres, 55.94 metres at Madhabarida against 60.65 metres and 12.18 metres at Purushottampur against 16.84 metres.
The Vansadhara river stood at 80.93 metres at Gunupur against a danger mark of 84 metres and 52.93 metres at Kashinagar against 54.60 metres.
The available storage capacity in major reservoirs of south Odisha stood at 83.6 per cent in Upper Indravati, 54.5 per cent in Upper Kolab, 44.4 per cent in Balimela and 63.8 per cent in Machhkund (Jalaput).
Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg, who reviewed preparedness September 21 with the Special Relief Commissioner, Director of Fire Services, Health and Family Welfare Department, Water Resources Department, police and Collectors of southern districts, directed the Collectors to identify vulnerable areas, keep cyclone and flood shelters ready, stock essential materials and deploy disaster response teams in advance.
She laid special emphasis on landslide-prone areas of Gajapati, Rayagada, Ganjam, Koraput and Malkangiri. Fire Services units have also been kept on alert.
Health authorities have been directed to ensure preparedness of medical facilities, while the Water Resources Department has been asked to continuously monitor rainfall, inflow into reservoirs and dam water levels.
All senior officials and district administrations have been directed to remain at their headquarters and maintain constant vigil.
The situation is being closely monitored at the state and district levels, with all concerned departments and field-level officers and staff directed to remain highly alert and take immediate action wherever necessary.
The government has advised people to remain cautious, avoid waterlogged, low-lying and other vulnerable areas, follow instructions issued by local administrations and rely on official information and advisories issued by the state government and the IMD.