BHUBANESWAR: Heavy rain lashed several southern and coastal districts of Odisha on Tuesday as the depression over the Bay of Bengal moved closer to the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast, prompting the state government to step up preparedness and mobilise 33 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams in vulnerable districts.
The depression-induced rain lashed Koraput, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Khurda, Puri, Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur, among other districts. Several parts of the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack experienced waterlogging following intense spells of rain during the day.
Koraput recorded over 82 mm of rain between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, while Paralakhemundi received 58 mm. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 49.7 mm and 26.8 mm, respectively, during the period.
In view of the heavy rain, schools and anganwadi centres were closed in several vulnerable districts, while government employees’ leave was cancelled till September 25 in some areas. Urban local bodies were directed to step up preparedness to deal with any exigencies arising from the weather system.
Of the 33 ODRAF teams mobilised for rapid response to rain-related emergencies, six each were deployed in Ganjam and Koraput, while three each were sent to Gajapati, Rayagada and Malkangiri. Two teams were stationed in Kalahandi and one in Balangir. Nine additional teams have been kept in reserve at Chhatrapur.
The IMD said the depression moved westwards at a speed of around 8 kmph during the day and lay about 150 km south-southeast of Gopalpur and 210 km south-southwest of Puri.
Director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty said the system is likely to intensify into a deep depression within the next 12 hours and cross the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur on the night of September 23.
The system is expected to move across Koraput and Rayagada districts after landfall before gradually weakening, she said.
The IMD has forecast very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds of up to 60 kmph in parts of southern Odisha on September 23 and 24. Some areas are also likely to receive heavy rainfall on September 25 and 26.
A red warning has been issued for Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri for September 23 and for Nabarangpur on September 24. Parts of Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Balangir and Bargarh are also likely to receive heavy rain during the two days.
As a precautionary measure, schools and Anganwadi centres have been closed in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Gajapati and Khurda till September 24.
Multipurpose cyclone shelters have also been identified to facilitate evacuation if required. All major rivers in southern Odisha are flowing below the danger mark but are being closely monitored, the government said.
