Low pressure area formed over Bay of Bengal; Odisha faces heavy rain

With formation of a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal on Thursday, the IMD forecast very heavy rainfall at several places of Odisha till August 19, prompting the state government to put the district authorities on alert.

The cyclonic circulation over the northwest Bay of Bengal has intensified into a low pressure area and under its influence, an intense cloud band is now moving across coastal Odisha into the interior districts, the IMD said.

Forecasting rainfall till August 19, the Regional Meteorological Centre here said that heavy rain lashed several parts of the state during the day.

“By 5.30 PM of Thursday, Khurda has received maximum rainfall of 78 mm followed by 67.8 mm in Keonjhar, 62.2 mm in Puri, 56.2 mm in Bhubaneswar, 56.2 mm in Titlagarh, 54 mm in Nabarangpur and 41,6 mm in Balasore,” the met office said.

Issuing orange warning (be prepared) for 15 districts, the IMD also said that the low pressure will trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) for one or two places in Puri, Khurda, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Boudh, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri till 8.30 am on Friday.

It also said that there possibility of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm) at one or two places in Boudh, Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts.

Yellow warning of heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) has also been sounded for one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Gajapati, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Angul, Deogarh, Bargarh, Rayagada, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts.

Thunderstorm with lightning may also occur in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Angul, Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Puri, Nayagarh, Kandhamal and Boudh.

The intensity of rain is likely to decrease steadily thereafter, the IMD said.

The IMD said there is a possibility of wall collapse in kutcha houses and some damage to kutcha roads. Landslides are also likely in vulnerable hilly areas in Malkangiri, Koraput, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts, it said.

Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu has put all districts collectors and authorities of Urban Local Bodies on alert following the prediction of heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts till August 19.