Odisha Records 53% Excess Rain In last 21 Days; Heavy Downpour To Continue For 2 Days

Bhubaneswar: While the low pressure area has moved to southeast Jharkhand and neighbourhood, Odisha will continue to experience heavy rain for two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Thursday.

According to the midday bulletin, heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) may occur at one or two places in Sundargarh and Jharsuguda till 8.30 am on Friday. Yellow warning of heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) has also been issued for one or two places in Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Balangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj.

The intensity of rain may gradually decrease thereafter.

On September 22, there is a forecast for heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, and Jharsuguda.

Light to moderate rain is also likely at many places in North and South Interior Odisha and at a few places in South Coastal Odisha on these two days. While there is no heavy rain warning thereafter, light showers will continue at a few places across the state during the next 3-4 days, the IMD said.

Notably, Odisha has recorded 284.7 mm rainfall in the last 21 days, which 53% more than the normal of 185.4 mm, and 20% in excess of September’s monthly average of 235.7 mm.  In the last 24 hours, the state received an average rainfall of 26.6 mm rainfall against the normal of 8.8 mm. Nuapada district recorded an average of 57.5 mm rainfall, which is 759% more than normal.

This has helped bridge the rain shortfall this monsoon season with the state recording 1067.9 mm rainfall between June 1 and September 20 against the normal of 1099.9 mm. While two districts have received excess rain and 25 are in normal category, only three have recorded a shortfall.