Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday sounded red warning for extremely heavy rainfall in 18 districts of Odisha as a low pressure over the North Bay of Bengal turned into a well-marked low pressure in the morning.
In its mid-day bulletin, IMD said that apart from the well-marked low pressure, a monsoon trough stretching from the centre of a low-pressure area over southwest Rajasthan is passing through the centre of the low-pressure area from the south-east direction. Under its influence, there will be heavy to very heavy rainfall in most parts of Odisha with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places which will continue till the morning of August 28 (Friday).
Due to the inclement weather, fishermen are advised not to venture along and off the Odisha coast and north Bay of Bengal between August 25 and 27 (Tuesday and Thursday).
Those who have gone for deep sea fishing are advised to return by Tuesday night as squally weather with strong surface wind reaching 45-55 kmph will make the sea condition very rough.
IMD has also advised the state government to take necessary steps as there will be water-logging, flash flood and damage to informal roads and kutcha houses in some places. Besides, there is a possibility of a landslide in hilly areas, it said.
In view of the heavy rainfall, IMD has issued red, orange and yellow warnings for the following districts.
August 25
(Red warning)
Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rain at one or two places over the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Dhenkanal.
(Orange warning)
Heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over the districts of Puri, Khurda, Angul, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh, Bolangir, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.
(Yellow warning)
Heavy rainfall at one or two places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Koraput.
August 26
(Red warning)
Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rain at one or two places over the districts of Sambalpur, Sonepur, Bargarh, Boudh, Balangir, Kalahandi, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh and Deogarh.
(Orange warning)
Heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over the districts of Nabarangpur, Angul, Nuapada, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal and Keonjhar.
(Yellow warning)
Heavy rainfall at one or two places over the districts of Balasore, Malkangiri, Koraput, Cuttack and Jajpur.
August 27
(Yellow warning)
Heavy rainfall very at one or two places over the districts of Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Sundargarh.
Following heavy rainfall warning, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) and additional chief secretary, Disaster Management, Pradeep Jena has directed the collectors of the districts under red, orange and yellow warning to remain prepared to remain on high alert to meet any eventuality.
While the ODRAF and Fire Services personnel have been asked to remain on high alert, the local administration, engineers of the Water Resources and officials of the Rural Development and Works Departments have been asked to ensure road communication, evacuation of rainwater in low-lying areas and promptly respond to breaches on embankments and cleaning of drainage channels.
