Odisha is grappling with heavy to very heavy rainfall, driven by an active low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal and a cyclonic circulation extending from south-west Rajasthan to Bangladesh.
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar has issued warnings for continued rainfall until July 3, with a new cyclonic circulation expected to form over the north Bay of Bengal by June 29, potentially intensifying into a depression.
The deluge has already impacted 10 towns, with Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur recording the highest rainfall at 14.5 cm, followed by Kakatpur (Puri) at 10.9 cm, Bolgarh (Khordha) at 10.2 cm, and other areas like Betnoti, Kaptipada, Nayagarh, Nimapada, Rajnagar, Banki, and Jeypore reporting 6-8.5 cm. The heavy rains have caused waterlogging in Balasore, disrupting roads and damaging homes, with incidents like wall collapses reported.
Weather scientist Sanjeev Dwivedi from the Regional Meteorological Centre forecasts increased rainfall intensity from Monday, particularly in northern, coastal, and western Odisha. Yellow warnings have been issued for Saturday in Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, and Keonjhar for heavy rainfall, and in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati for rain with thunderstorms. On Sunday, Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Sundargarh face heavy rainfall warnings.
From June 1 to June 27, Odisha recorded 190.5 mm of rainfall, 5% above the normal 181.6 mm. While 17 districts saw normal rainfall, nine experienced deficits, particularly border districts like Malkangiri, Nuapada, Bargarh, and Jharsuguda. However, the forecast of heavy to very heavy rainfall by July 3 is expected to alleviate these deficits.
Authorities urge residents to stay vigilant, as the weather systems may lead to flooding and further disruptions. The Meteorological Centre advises monitoring updates and preparing for potential impacts in the warned districts.
