Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rainfall for five districts of Odisha Tuesday, a bulletin said.
IMD’s Bhubaneswar regional centre also issued a yellow warning (be updated) for the five districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur.
The weather office also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Angul, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Boudh, Khurda, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Deogarh and Sundargarh districts July 31.
Apart from these districts, light to moderate rainfall would be experienced in many other parts of the state, it said.
Similar rainfall activity would continue in many districts of the state for another two days (till August 2), it said.
In view of the IMD’s forecast, the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) advised the district collectors to keep the administrative machinery ready for any eventuality.
Low-lying areas may face water logging, and roads and drains may be submerged under water. Therefore, the SRC, in a letter, instructed the collectors and municipal commissioners of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to keep the drains and stormwater channels de-congested, and deploy adequate dewatering pumps as per requirement.
During the monsoon period (from June 1 to July 29), the state has recorded an average rainfall of 478.8 mm against the normal precipitation of 526.4 mm. During the period, Malkangiri district has recorded large excess rainfall, while rainfall in Koraput, Nuapada and Boudh districts has been categorised as excess, according to the weatherman.
Similarly, 15 districts received normal downpour and the remaining 11 districts were in the deficient category.
Due to heavy rainfall, the water level of Baitarani, one of the major rivers in Odisha, was flowing at a level of 17.40 metres at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district against the warning level of 17.83 metres.
Similarly, following the opening of 20 gates of Hirakud Dam, the water level of Mahanadi was showing an upward trend on Monday noon at Khairamal but was falling at Naraj gate.
PTI