The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday predicted heavy rains for several places across Odisha till June 24. The weather office has also issued heavy rainfall warning for 14 out of 30 districts of Odisha till Thursday morning.
14 districts under heavy rain alert
The IMD has issued Red Warning (take action) for Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts while Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, and Balasore districts have been put under Orange Warning (be prepared to take action) for the day. Similarly, a Yellow Warning (be aware) has been issued for Bargarh, Sonepur, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, and Bhadrak districts, it said.
IMD Bhubaneswar Director Dr Manorama Mohanty said, "Heavy rainfall has occurred at 8-9 places in Odisha in the last 24 hours. “A low-pressure area is formed over Gangetic West Bengal, due to which the state may receive good rainfall in the next 2-3 days. Light to moderate rainfall may occur in most parts of the state in the next 24 hours. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur on the 19th,” she said.
Low pressure formed over Gangetic West Bengal
According to the mid-day bulletin issued by the IMD, a well-marked low pressure area, formed over Gangetic West Bengal and its neighbourhood, is likely to move slowly towards Jharkhand.
Under its impact, heavy to very heavy, and at places extremely heavy, rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning is expected to occur in parts of Odisha between June 18 to 24, it said.
Thunderstorm with lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is expected to occur in the districts of Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri, the IMD said.
Fishermen are advised not to venture into sea
Similar weather conditions would continue in several districts of Odisha till June 25, it said. The weather office advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast on June 18 and 19.
The IMD has issued an advisory for the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Angul, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda, asking people to be ready to move to safer places as the weather conditions may worsen.
The ports and naval bases along the east coast of India have been advised to take precautions while it suggested restriction of tourism activities. The weather office said localised landslides and land sinks are expected to occur under the impact of the heavy rainfall.
Strong wind and rain can damage plantations, kutcha houses, huts, roads, horticulture and standing crops, and power and communication lines, it said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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