Bhubaneswar, Sep 23 (PTI) Heavy rain lashed southern and coastal Odisha on Wednesday under the influence of an approaching deep depression, prompting authorities to move at least 5,000 people to safety.
The intensity of rainfall in Odisha, which is witnessing showers since Tuesday, has increased, with Semiliguda in Koraput district receiving the highest rainfall of 230 mm in the last 24 hours till 8.30 am, followed by 161 mm at Jeypore in the same district, an IMD (India Meteorological Department) official said.
More than 16 places in the state have recorded rainfall of more than 10 cm, he said.
The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal was moving towards the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coast at a speed of 5 kmph for the last six hours and lay centred 60 km southeast of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 140 km east-northeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 150 km south of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 240 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha) at 8.30 am, the IMD said in its morning bulletin.
Akshay Sunil Agarwal, collector of landslide-prone Gajapati district in south Odisha, said that 5,000 people, including pregnant women and elderly persons, have been shifted to cyclone centres and temporary relief camps as a precautionary measure and cooked food is being provided to them.
The district administration has identified 140 landslide-prone areas and is keeping a close watch on them, he said.
There have been reports of rainwater entering houses, trees uprooting, houses collapsing and muddy waters flowing down hills in Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur districts, officials said.
The IMD has warned of light to moderate rainfall in most places, with heavy to very heavy rainfall in a few areas, and extremely heavy rainfall in isolated places in southern Odisha on Wednesday and Thursday. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in isolated places in the state on Friday and Saturday.
The weather office on Wednesday issued a ‘red alert’ (take action) for Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts, where over 20 cm of rainfall is expected in the next 24 hours.
A similar red warning has been issued for Nabarangpur district for Thursday. Several districts in southern and coastal regions have been put under an ‘orange’ warning (be prepared), forecasting 12-20 cm of rainfall.
Under the influence of the system, squally weather conditions will prevail, with wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph till Thursday evening. The weather office has asked fishermen not to venture into the sea till Thursday evening.
In view of the approaching system, the state government has also mobilised 33 teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to deal with any emerging exigency.
According to the IMD, the deep depression is a weather system which is more intense than a low-pressure area and less than a cyclonic storm.
The state government has, meanwhile, ordered the closure of educational institutions and Anganwadi centres in 10 districts. Leaves of government officials have been cancelled and they have been asked to remain in the headquarters in view of the impending situation.
Hospitals in vulnerable areas have been instructed to stock adequate emergency medicines, and authorities concerned have been asked to shift pregnant women from low-lying areas to nearby community health centres (CHCs) or Maa Gruhas for their safety. PTI AAM AAM ACD
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