BHUBANESWAR: Hit by heavy showers, some parts of Odisha experienced deluge-like situation on Sunday though all major rivers remained below the danger mark.
However, the State Government kept a watch on the situation with the forecast of more showers in the next 48 hours. With the cyclonic circulation turning into a low pressure in the morning, incessant rains lashed different parts of the State. Cuttack district received an average rainfall of 97 mm, the highest in last 24 hours followed by 91.4 mm in Dhenkanal. Jagatsinghpur recorded 88.6 mm while Phulbani, Jajpur and Keonjhar received 76 mm each. Nayagarh received 73 mm rain while Puri recorded 66.4 mm rainfall.
As a result of the torrential rains, embankment of a minor irrigation project breached in Mayurbhanj. In Nayagarh district, many roads were cut off.
However, barring Banshadhara, no other river posed any concern to the State administration which had asked the Collectors to remain in a state of preparedness.
The river was flowing at 54.86 metres, much above the danger mark last night, but by Sunday morning, the water level had dropped and maintained a receding trend. Baitarani river was also in spate, flowing at 38.14 metres against the red mark of 38.34 metres.
With more rains in the offing in the next several days, the weather office said the catchments of Banshadhara and Rushikulya may not get much rain since most of the showers will be concentrated over northern districts. If Keonjhar gets more rain, Baitarani may swell and create problems.
However, all eyes would be on Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha since the catchment areas of these two rivers are likely to be lashed by rains. Subarnarekha, which was showing a rising trend at Jamsolaghat and Jamshedpur, was flowing much below the danger mark. Budhabalanga was rising near Baripada.
Mahanadi also showed a rising trend but the river was flowing way below the warning levels at Khairmal, Tikarpada and Naraj and posed no concern.
The weather office, meanwhile, predicted more rains in the next four days. Under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over north-east Bay of Bengal, the Met department said a low pressure area has formed off north Odisha coast and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal. The system will trigger rain and thundershowers at most places of the State during the next 48 hours.
It issued a warning of extremely heavy showers over north Odisha and very heavy showers at some parts over southern Odisha.
In some places, strong wind reaching a speed of 45 km to 55 km per hour will prevail.
The consistent showers over the last one week has improved the rainfall scenario in the State rapidly. Between July 1 and July 20, the State has received 266.3 mm rain against the normal of 219.3 mm which put the overall rainfall deficit at 20 per cent. In July, the State normally receives 339.9 mm rain.