Bhubaneswar: Moderate to heavy rains lashed many parts of Odisha, including the coastal region, on Saturday in a respite to the people from humid conditions.
State capital Bhubaneswar and the millennium city of Cuttack were also lashed by downpour since morning. As several low-lying areas in the twin cities faced water-logging, vehicular traffic was affected for quite some time, sources said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that several Odisha districts are likely to experience enhanced rainfall activities in the next four to five days.
The MeT Centre said the state recorded an average rainfall of 10.3 mm during the last 24 hours. Similarly, the average rainfall recorded from July 1 to 15 98.1 mm against July monthly average of 339.9 mm.
Amid intense rainfall activities in many areas, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 14.7 mm and 41.8 mm rainfall respectively by 8.30 am. Several low-lying areas in the two cities remained submerged with rainwater for quite some time.
Highest rainfall of 108.0 mm was recorded in Puri block of Puri district in the last 24 hours. Similarly, Kujanga block in Jagatsinghpur recorded 105 mm rainfall during the period.
The MeT Centre said that a cyclonic circulation is likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal around Sunday. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the same region during the subsequent two to three days.
Meanwhile, the MeT Centre issued nowcast warning with yellow message for light to moderate rain, thundershower with one or two intense and heavy spell of rain in some parts of districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Sonepur and Ganjam by 12 noon today.
