LOPAR Impact Likely To Weaken In 24 Hrs; Heavy Rain Alert For Western & Interior Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The impact of low pressure over Odisha is likely to weaken in the next 24 hours, the regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Wednesday.

According to the MeT office, western and interior parts of the state will continue to experience heavy rainfall till September 22 morning. Heavy rain (7 to 11cm) alert has been issued for one or two places in Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, and Sundargarh.

According to the SOA’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) here, the system is likely to move in a north-westerly direction towards western Odisha and Chhatisgarh from September 21. Western Odisha districts could experience heavy to very heavy rainfall in one or two places on September 21 and 22, the bulletin had said, adding that Bhubaneswar city could get moderate rainfall on September 20 and 21.

It is pertinent to mention here that Odisha received 1140.9mm of rain between June 1 and September 20, which is 5% above the normal 1091.1 mm.

While Kandhamal received a maximum of 1649 mm of rain, which is 51 % more than normal, and Bhadrak received 836.1mm, which is 18 % less than normal. At least five districts recorded more than normal rainfall and 25 districts recorded normal downpour during this period.