The southwest monsoon has swept across all districts of Odisha, bringing relentless rainfall fueled by an active low-pressure system over southwest Bangladesh.
According to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, coastal districts like Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Sundargarh have experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall since Monday night. The highest rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours was 134 mm in Deogarh, followed by 24 mm in Rourkela and over 23 mm in Khordha.
The active monsoon, combined with the low-pressure system, has kept Odisha under cloudy skies, with forecasts predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas for the next two days. An orange warning has been issued for Mayurbhanj for Wednesday, anticipating very heavy rainfall, while yellow warnings are in place for Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Angul, Bargarh, Sonepur, and Boudh due to expected heavy rain. On Thursday, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, and Jharsuguda face an orange warning, with other districts under yellow alerts. By Friday, only Sundargarh remains under a yellow warning.
Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, noted that rainfall intensity is expected to decrease from Thursday as the low-pressure system weakens. By June 21, no warnings are anticipated, though light rain may persist in some areas.
The continuous rainfall has lowered temperatures across the state, offering respite from the summer heat but raising concerns about potential flooding in low-lying areas.
Authorities are monitoring the situation, and residents are advised to stay updated on weather alerts and take precautions.
