Bhubaneswar: The east-central Bay of Bengal’s low-pressure area is expected to escalate into a deep depression, causing heavy to very heavy rainfall across various districts of Odisha over the next two days, as announced by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday.
A red alert for extremely heavy rainfall (70 mm to 200 mm) has been issued for the Koraput, Malkangiri, and Gajapati districts starting Friday, lasting for three days. Consequently, Koraput and Gajapati district administrations have ordered the closure of all educational institutions within their areas due to the forecast.
An orange alert for heavy rainfall is in place for Nabarangpur, Rayagada, and Ganjam districts, while a yellow alert has been declared for Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Nuapada, Nayagarh, Khurda, and Puri districts. Cuttack and Bhubaneswar are also expected to receive significant rainfall today.
The IMD predicts that the rainy conditions will persist in southern Odisha, including the coastal regions, until Sunday. Wind speeds are anticipated to range from 35 to 45 km per hour, with the potential for gusts reaching up to 55 km per hour.
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has directed District Collectors to relocate individuals to storm shelters as needed. The weather department has cautioned against waterlogging in low-lying zones, landslides in hilly terrains, urban flooding, and the potential collapse of mud houses during the rainfall. District Magistrates and municipal authorities in the affected districts have been alerted to remain vigilant. Fishermen are advised to refrain from setting out to sea on both Friday and Saturday.
