BHUBANESWAR: Rainfall deficit in Odisha, which currently is nearly 20 per cent, will come down as the State is all set to witness a good spell of rain in the next two to three days, said Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Director HR Biswas on Tuesday.
Despite heavy rains and thundershower activities in the last week of July, the rainfall deficit remained at 19.9 per cent compared to 28 per cent in the second week of the same month. A total of 18 districts including Rayagada, Jharsuguda, Nayagarh, Subarnapur, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Dhenkanal, Balasore, Bhadrak, Balangir and Keonjhar have recorded deficit rainfall ranging from 19 per cent to 39 per cent. Similarly, Deogarh and Sundargarh have recorded extremely deficit rainfall of 43.2 per cent and 48.4 per cent respectively.
Between August 1 and 6, the State received deficit rainfall of 37 per cent. However, Biswas said many parts of the State will experience heavy rainfall in the next two days due to a depression formed over the Bay of Bengal, thereby bringing down the rain deficit.
In its special bulletin, the IMD stated that Sambalpur, Deogarh, Balangir, Nuapada and Bargarh districts will experience extremely heavy rainfall on August 7 and 8. Heavy rains will also pound parts of Sonepur, Jharsuguda, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Khurda, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Mayurbhanj and Nabarangpur districts during these two days.
This apart, rains will also occur in parts of Koraput, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Sundargarh and Khurda on August 9. Some parts of the State are also expected to witness light showers on August 10 and 11. “As there is a day-to-day variation in the average rainfall, the deficit level is expected to come down further due to heavy showers in next couple of days and moderate rainfall for another two days,” Biswas said. He said owing to the depression in the Bay of Bengal, fishermen have been alerted not to venture into the sea.
District Collectors put on rain alert
With the IMD predicting heavy rainfall in parts of Odisha in the next 48 hours, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi has put districts Collectors. The SRC directed the district chiefs to evacuate people from low lying and vulnerable areas prone to flooding. The Collectors were also asked to keep the transit shelters ready and stock adequate food and drinking water. Fire service teams were also asked to remain prepared for rescue and relief operation.