BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Government issued heavy rain and flood alert for six coastal districts after the low pressure-induced showers lashed many parts of the State on Sunday.
The Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office asked Collectors of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal to remain alert for flash flood.
The alert came after the low pressure off north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast triggered heavy rains across several coastal, central and western districts. Balasore received at least 100 mm rain since morning, while Bhubaneswar reported over 92 mm rain during the day. Cuttack (72 mm), Chandbali (53 mm), Puri (58 mm) and Gopalpur (54 mm) also received good showers.
Other districts such as Angul (24 mm), Dhenkanal (47 mm) and Mayurbhanj (15 mm) as well as western districts, including Jharsuguda, also received showers.
The weather office said the well-marked low pressure was lying close to north AP and south-coastal Odisha and would move in a north-north-easterly direction and weaken gradually during the next 48 hours.
However, during that period, heavy to very heavy showers are expected in the coastal pockets which could leave the rivers in spate.
The showers reduced the day temperature across the State and brought much-needed respite from the gruelling heat wave, which has so far claimed 22 lives. The maximum day temperature fell below 30 degree Celsius across the coastal planes. Bhubaneswar, which had recorded a little over 39 degree C on Saturday, reported 25.6 degree C as the maximum day temperature. Even the hot Angul-Talcher belt saw the mercury plunging to sub-30 degree C level.
The western Odisha districts had a respite from the heat wave after the showers. In Sambalpur, Balangir and Kalahandi, the day temperature dropped drastically.