Cyclone Bulbul Triggers Heavy Rainfall In Coastal Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The coastal districts of Odisha experienced heavy rainfall on Saturday due to the influence of the very severe cyclonic storm Bulbul.

According to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Rajnagar block in Kendrapara district has received the maximum rainfall of 180 mm in the past 24 hours. It was followed by Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district (163.9), Chandbali block in Bhadrak district (150.1), Rajkanika block in Kendrapara district (136) and Tirtol block in Jagatsinghpur district (100).

In terms of average rainfall, Kendrapara district has recorded the highest at 75.6 per cent followed by Bhadrak (54.6), Jagatsinghpur (51.6), Balasore (37.9), Jajpur (21.7), Puri (10.7), Cuttack (9.5) and Mayurbhanj (7.8).

Khurda district has recorded lowest average rainfall of 2.1 mm.

In Paradip, there has been extensive damage of crops while road communication has been disrupted at some places due to the falling of big trees. Besides, road communication in some parts of Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts have been disrupted.

The office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) informed that 350 families in Jagatsinghpur district, 311 in Balasore district and 25 from the Subarna island in Bhograi block have been evacuated from the low-lying areas shifted to safer places.

Till reports last came in, rainfall continues in Puri, Balasore, Bhadrak and Jagatsinghpur districts with a gradual increase in the wind speed.

Briefing mediapersons here on Saturday, SRC Pradip Jena said that heavy rainfall is most likely to lash the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore districts today. “The intensity of rainfall is expected to prevail for about 8-9 hours after which it will gradually subside,” he added.

He further said that the NDRF and ODRAF personnel have begun the work to clear the roads in Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Bhadrak districts.