IMD issues red alert for 7 districts as rain lash Odisha, deep depression to cross coast by evening

Bhubaneswar, Oct 2 (PTI) Heavy rain lashed Odisha on Thursday as a deep depression is set to cross the state's coast near Gopalpur in Ganjam district in the evening, prompting the IMD to issue red alert of extremely heavy downpour for seven districts, orange warning for 16 and yellow alert for the remaining seven districts, officials said.

Almost all parts of the state have received heavy rain since Wednesday, especially the coastal and southern regions.

In its latest bulletin, IMD said that the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moved towards the coast with a speed of 18 kmph during the six hours before noon.

The system at 11.30 AM lay centered about 90 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha), 140 km east-northeast of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 140 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha), 230 km east-northeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 240 km southwest of Paradip (Odisha), it said.

“It is very likely to cross Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh coasts close to Gopalpur by evening of Thursday,” the IMD said.

Director of Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, Manorama Mohanty, said the IMD has issued "red alert" (take action) for Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Kalahandi and Kandhamal, where extremely heavy rainfall of above 20 cm may be experienced at isolated places till 8.30 AM on Friday.

The director said that the 16 districts have been categorised under "orange alert" (be prepared) where heavy to very heavy rainfall of 7 cm to 20 cm could be received till Friday morning. The districts are Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Kendrapara.

Similarly, "yellow alert" (be aware) warning a rainfall of 7 cm to 11 cm in seven other districts in the western region of the state was also issued, Mohanty said.

Keeping in view the IMD warnings, the state government deployed men and machinery in identified vulnerable districts to tackle the situation, an official said.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast till October 3.

“Under the influence of the deep depression, squally wind speed reaching 55-65-kmph gusting to 75 kmph is very likely to prevail over central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal on October 2,” Mohanty said adding that the wind intensity would gradually decline.

The IMD has also suggested hoisting of ‘Local Cautionary Signal No-III’ (LC-3) at all ports in the state.

Meanwhile, revenue department sources said that as a result of heavy rain, reports of landslide were received from Gajapti district, while some trees fell in Ganjam district and rainwater submerged a bridge in Koraput district disrupting communication on National Highway number 326, connecting Odisha with Andhra Pradesh.

A report from coastal Jagatsinghpur district said that at least two persons were injured after a decorative bamboo gate erected at Balikuda on occasion of Durga Puja collapsed. The injured persons were admitted to the Community Health Centre at Balikuda, police said.

The road communications between Jagatsinghpur and Machhagaon have also been affected due to heavy rain. PTI AAM NN