Odisha puts districts on alert as IMD forecasts heavy rainfall

With the formation of a low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting heavy rainfall across the state, Odisha government on Wednesday put certain districts on alert and asked to take all precautionary measures to deal with the situation.

The direction was issued by Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahoo while holding a review meeting on the emerging situation following formation of a low pressure area.

The district collectors who were present in the state capital to attend the ECI meeting were apprised of the IMD forecast and asked to take actions accordingly, an official said.

The IMD in a bulletin said the low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal has further intensified and under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely to occur in the next 24 hours. South Odisha, north Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are likely to experience heavy rainfall, it said.

Meanwhile, the state has received extremely heavy rainfall in four places and heavy rainfall in 16 places. The places where extremely heavy rainfall has been recorded till 8.30 am of Wednesday were: Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district (156.4 mm), Daringbadi in Kandhamal district (128 mm), Chitrakonda in Malkangiri district (117 mm), Atabira in Bargarh district (116 mm), Tikabali in Kandhamal district (114 mm) and Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district (102 mm).

Earlier, the IMD had issued a Red warning of scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) with isolated extremely heavy (over 20cm) in the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Kandhamal by 8.30 am of Wednesday.

It had also issued an Orange Warning (Be Prepared) of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) at one or two places in the districts of Nuapada, Sonepur, Boudh, Nayagarh, Khordha, Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada.

Similarly, from 8.30 am on Wednesday to the same time on Thursday, the IMD issued a Red warning of scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) with isolated extremely heavy (over 20 cm) in the districts of Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Angul, Nayagarh, Boudh, Sonepur, Kandhamal, Ganjam.

It also issued an Orange Warning (Be Prepared) of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Khordha, Puri, Gajapti, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bolangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur on Wednesday.

From Thursday 8.30 am till Friday 8.30 am, the IMD forecast Orange warning (Be Prepared) of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) very likely to occur at a few places over the districts of Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam.

'The districts under red/orange/yellow warning to keep administrative machinery ready to face any eventuality,' the SRC office said in a press release, adding that in case of overtopping of roads/ bridges due to heavy rain, the collectors were told to restrict plying of vehicles by deploying police and local officer, if situation arises.

In case of damage of houses, polythene sheets shall be provided and further arrangements shall be put in place while collectors will also ensure that in case of falling of trees, the local fire services shall be utilized for road clearance.

Meanwhile, a report received from Koraput district said train services were affected between Rayagada and Koraput after a huge boulder fell on tracks between Tigiri and Laliguma under Waltair Division on Wednesday.

This apart, there are reports of mudslides and some portions of railway tracks have also been submerged due to incessant rain in Koraput and Rayagada districts. A quick action team from Koraput along with the engineering and technical staff rushed to the spot and removed the boulder and trees from the tracks.