Bhubaneswar, Sep 23 (IANS) Several districts of Odisha continue to receive incessant rainfall due to the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, and the state government is making all necessary preparations to deal with its impact.
The deep depression, moving west-northwest at 7 kmph, is currently centred about 30 km south-southwest of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and 160 km southwest of Gopalpur. IMD sources said the system is likely to maintain its west-northwestward movement and cross the north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur, to the southwest of Kalingapatnam, within the next three to four hours.
IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty said widespread rainfall has been recorded across Odisha during the past 24 hours. Thirty-five locations received heavy rainfall of 7–12 cm, while 10 locations recorded very heavy rainfall of 12–20 cm. Similiguda in Koraput district recorded extremely heavy rainfall of 230 mm.
The IMD has issued a red warning for Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri, where heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall, is likely. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also expected in Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Boudh, Subarnapur, Bargarh, Balangir and Nuapada districts. The weather system is also likely to generate strong winds of 55–65 kmph, gusting up to 75 kmph along and near the coast as it moves inland.
For September 24, the IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall, in Nabarangpur, while Bargarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput and Malkangiri are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall. On September 25, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Nuapada. Rainfall is expected to continue on September 26, mainly over western parts of southern Odisha, including Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada and Nabarangpur.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the state’s preparedness to deal with the incessant rainfall triggered by the deep depression, emphasising the state’s policy of ‘zero casualty’. He asked the concerned authorities to prioritise the safety of lives and property.
A total of 33 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and 381 fire service teams have been deployed across the state to deal with the situation.
–IANS
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