Balasore: Relentless rain since Monday afternoon, triggered by a low-pressure system over Bay of Bengal, has paralysed life in Bhograi block of Balasore district and neighbouring Medinipur in West Bengal.
District emergency officials said Bhograi block recorded 88 mm rain by 8 am Tuesday, the highest in the district, while Bahanaga logged only 5 mm. Overall, the district received 260 mm rainfall.
The weather office said the system is moving from West Bengal toward north Odisha and Jharkhand, raising fears of a seventh flood in Jalaka and Subarnarekha rivers, according to an Irrigation department official.
Also Read: Odisha weather: Heavy rain likely due to fresh low-pressure area over Bay of Bengal
Most primary schools in the block were declared closed as attendance plunged, though colleges and schools holding exams continued. Roads, ponds and fields remained submerged as standing paddy crops were battered by rainwater.
Meanwhile, Fisheries department warned fishermen not to venture into the sea until September 27. Alerts were issued at Udaypur, Talsari, Digha, Shankarpur, Mandarmani, Dagara and other landing centres.
In low-lying areas of north and south Bhograi, floodwater entered homes and village roads overflowed while markets wore a deserted look. Heavy rain also delayed several down line trains from Howrah to Odisha, South Eastern Railway sources said.
In the Assembly, Bhograi MLA Goutam Buddha Das demanded immediate release of already sanctioned Rs 99.76 crore for stormwater drainage in 32 panchayats of south Bhograi.
The weather office also warned of another low-pressure system likely to form September 25, raising fears about a low-key Durga Puja.
PNN
