Bhubaneswar: After a deep depression-induced intense spell, rain activity in Odisha subsided on Sunday with no further heavy rainfall warning over the next one week.
The India Meteorological Department, however, warned of thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (30-40 kmph) at one or two places in the districts of Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Kataka, Kendujhar and Mayurbhanj on September 27-28 with the north-south trough running from Bihar to Westcentral Bay of Bengal across Jharkhand and Odisha. Light to moderate rain or thundershower may also continue at one or two places across the state till October 3.
The national forecaster further stated that the well-marked low-pressure area over northern parts of central Uttar Pradesh is expected to move north-northwestwards across Uttar Pradesh and weaken gradually during the next 12 hours. This system, which intensified into a deep depression, had triggered heavy rains in southern and coastal Odisha as it crossed the coast close to southwest of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh between 11 pm on Wednesday and 1 am on Thursday. Over 70,000 people living in low-lying areas were evacuated and house in 395 relief camps on Saturday following flash floods and incidents of water-logging as all rivers in the state swelled due to heavy rainfall over the past few days.
The coastal district of Baleshwar was among the worst hit as three major rivers were flowing above their danger level. A brother and sister swept away by strong currents while attempting to cross a flooded road in Nilagiri block’s Badia village were rescued just in time by an NDRF team. In Bhadrak’s Padhani Bhoisahi village, Josnarani Jena was not that lucky and drowned to death after being swept away by the strong currents of the Ganguti River while returning home. In another alarming development, four people are missing after being swept away by strong floodwaters near the Baitarani River. Reports indicate that the incident occurred when a pedestrian attempting to cross a flooded road near Muan Ghosara was overwhelmed by the intense current. Three others who rushed into the water to rescue him were also carried away. Local residents are currently using boats to search for the missing individuals.
Landslides were also reported in Gajapati district and at Kalinga Ghat in Kandhamal district.
Meanwhile, a fresh low-pressure area has formed over south coastal Myanmar and neighbourhood. The system is likely to emerge into north Andaman Sea and adjoining Irrawaddy delta of Myanmar during the next 24 hours and move north-northwestwards along and off Myanmar–Bangladesh coasts towards northeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh during the subsequent 2 days.
