Fresh Rain Spell Likely In Odisha From Sept 1; Thunderstorm/Lightning Alert Continues

Bhubaneswar: While there is no weather warning for Odisha for 3 days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its extended range forecast has predicted fairly widespread to widespread rain/thundershower in the state from September 1-7.

Overall rainfall activity likely to be slightly above normal during this period with isolated heavy to very heavy rain in some districts, it added.

According to the midday bulletin, light to moderate rain may occur at a few place across the state till September 1. It has issued yellow warning of thunderstorm with lightning for one or two places in Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Angul, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati and Kalahandi, the following days (August 31).

The thunderstorm with lightning warning continues for the subsequent 24 hour. The districts that are likely to be affected are Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput.

Odisha has recorded 782 mm rainfall against the normal value of 884.2 mm till August 28 this monsoon season. While one districts has received excess rain, 11 have recorded a shortfall and the rest 18 districts are in the normal category.

At least six blocks of Cuttack district, where paddy is cultivated over 1,23,525 hectare, are facing a drought-like situation owing to acute deficit rainfall in the last one week with Niali receiving the lowest of 3 mm.