Bhubaneswar: With heavy rain battering Odisha and red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for several places in the state, certain districts administrations declared closure of government and private schools on Wednesday.
Taking into consideration the well-being of students and staff, schools in Angul, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Balangir, Kalahandi, Sonepur, Nayagarh and Nuapada have been closed for a day in view of waterlogging and flood-like situation due to the incessant downpour, sources said.
In Deogarh, all schools will remain shut for two days (August 2-3). The Anganwadi Centres in these districts will also remain shut.
The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls at a few places in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Balangir and Sambalpur on August 2. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely at one or two places in Deogarh, Angul, Keonjhar, Sonepur, Boudh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal. Very heavy rain may occur at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Nabarangpur, Jajpur and Bhadrak.
The weather agency has warned of waterlogging in low-lying areas, landslides in hilly regions, some damage to kutcha roads and houses and waterlogging at underpass and occasional reduction in visibility causing traffic jams in urban areas. The intense spells of rain may also lead to significant rise in the water level of rivers in the state, it added.
