Heavy rain batters Odisha; orange alert issued as low-pressure area forms

Intense spells of rain pummeled Bhubaneswar, Puri and several other parts of Odisha on Saturday, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas and traffic congestion.

The MeT Department issued an orange warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rain during the next three days as a low-pressure area formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts.

The weather system is set to become more marked during the next 24 hours, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said.

The temple town of Puri recorded 99.9 mm of rain between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, out of which 87 mm was during a three-hour period till 11.30 am, according to a bulletin.

Subarnapur in western Odisha also recorded 99.9 mm of downpour during the period, followed by 53.6 mm in Chandbali in Bhadrak district, 40 mm in Khurda and 27 mm in Cuttack.

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Several roads in state capital Bhubaneswar were inundated as it received 36.6 mm of precipitation till the evening, leading to traffic congestion in many areas.

A state-run bus got stuck with some passengers onboard in floodwaters at an underpass in Jatni area of Khurda district. All passengers managed to reach safety after wading in the water as half of the bus was submerged.

Heavy showers were recorded also in Nayagarh, Baripada, Dhenakanal, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur.

The weatherman predicted intense rain of 20-30 mm per hour at intervals over the next few days, adding that the monsoon trough was passing through Balasore.

It forecast heavy to very heavy rain in some areas in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Boudh, Bolangir, Ganjam, Puri and Rayagada districts on Sunday.

There can be extremely heavy downpour at some places in Puri, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur districts on Monday, and in Bargarh, Subarnapur, Bolangir and Boudh on Tuesday.

It may trigger landslides or mudslides in vulnerable hilly areas, causing damage to susceptible roads and houses, the Met said.

Fisherfolk has been advised not to venture off the coast from Tuesday to Thursday as squally weather conditions with wind speed of 45-55 kmph and gusting up to 65 kmph are very likely to prevail over the northwestern Bay of Bengal.