Odisha came to a standstill on Wednesday as all the 30 districts of this state received approximately 60 per cent higher rainfall compared to normal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that the flood would persist up to September 27, and therefore, the state government put all the districts on alert.
The high amount of rain is attributable to the low-pressure area that has already caused torrential rains in the state. The weather office anticipates that a new low-pressure system will develop on Thursday, and therefore, the officials of the district had to take the preemptive measure. The office of the Special Relief Commissioner sent a letter advising all the district collectors to have administrative machinery in readiness to meet any eventuality.
According to the grading system of the IMD, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Nuapada were put under the orange alert, which is characterized by heavy to very heavy rains with thunderstorms, lightning, and 3040 km/h winds in one place or two. The other 27 districts were placed on a yellow alert, which indicated rain and thunderstorms of the same wind speed till 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.
The sea conditions were also predicted to be rough to very rough, and fishermen were warned against entering the Odisha Coast and the North and West-Central Bay of Bengal during the period between September 24 and 28.
A top weather forecaster at the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar advised that the low pressure that is likely to develop on September 25 may also develop into a depression with even higher intensity of rainfalls falling in most parts of the state. The potential depression that was likely to occur across the northwest and adjacent west-central bay of Bengal would pass over the south Odisha-north Andhra coasts on 27 September, further prolonging the rainfall period by four days.
Cases of extensive waterlogging have been reported in Sambalpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nuapada, and Bolangir districts. The towns like Sambalpur, Bolangir, Patnagarh, and Nuapada were flooded to the extent that rainwater leaked into the houses, and pumps had to be brought in to drain them out.
Burla town, Sambalpur, got 226 mm of rain in the 24 hours, and then in Hatadihi, Keonjhar, Dhankada, and Sambalpur town. The IMD warnings resulted in the cancellation of all government leave by the Koraput administration through September 28.
The second landslide along the river Ganjam border with Kandhamal has compelled the authorities to shut the road until September 30. The rising weather and hydrological risks highlight the need to closely monitor the conditions and prepare the community, as well as rapidly respond to emergencies and reduce losses, and protect human life.
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