Schools In 2 Dists Closed Today Amid Extremely Heavy Rain Alert With LoPAR Off Odisha Coast

Koraput: Schools will remain closed in Odisha’s Koraput and Gajapati districts on Friday in view of the red warning issued by the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) for extremely heavy rain over the next 24 hours.

In view of the weather forecast amid formation of a low-pressure area and its further intensification, collectors on Thursday ordered the closure of all schools in these two district to “avoid any kind of inconvenience to the students”.

Red warning of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) has been issued for Malkangiri, Koraput and Gajapati districts on Friday.

The school authorities in Koraput have been instructed to ensure no student remains present in dilapidated or unsafe buildings.The district administration has also asked the officials concerned to keep schools ready for emergency response. The Collector’s order also states that any employee found violating these directives will be held responsible.

This apart, employees of the School and Mass Education Department have been asked not to leave headquarters without consent. All Assistant Block Education Officers (ABEOs), Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCCs), and Headmasters (HMs) are required to ensure compliance within their respective jurisdictions and report promptly.

According to the morning bulletin, the low-pressure area was laying over westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha coasts at 5.30 am. “It is likely to move west-northwestwards and become more marked over the same region during next 12 hours. Thereafter, while moving towards north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts, it is likely to intensify into a depression over westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal during subsequent 36 hours.”

The weather agency has also warned of flash flood/waterlogging in low-lying areas, inundation of agriculture field and mudslides/landslides in vulnerable hilly areas. “There is also a possibility of some damage to kutcha road, wall collapse of vulnerable kutcha houses, waterlogging in underpass road and occasional reduction of visibility causing traffic congestion in urban areas. The rains may also lead to significant rise in water level of rivers,” it said.

Squally weather with surface wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph may prevail over Central Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Bay of Bengal on August 29 and along and off Odisha coasts during till September 1. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off Odisha coasts from August 30 to September 1.