Odisha puts districts on high alert for heavy rain as low-pressure area forms over Bay of Bengal

Bhubaneswar, Sep 25 (PTI) The Odisha government on Thursday put 18 districts on high alert after the IMD predicted heavy rain in the state with a low-pressure area forming over the Bay of Bengal, officials said.

Instructions regarding it were issued to the district collectors through a video conference by Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Deoranjan Kumar Singh.

Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre's Director Manorama Mohanty said, "Under the influence of the upper air cyclonic circulation over eastcentral and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal, a low-pressure area has formed over the Bay of Bengal at 5.30 pm." It is likely to intensify into a depression by the evening of September 26 and will cross the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coasts on September 27 morning, she said.

The system is likely to cause extremely heavy rainfall in Koraput and Malkangiri districts, while other parts of south Odisha are also likely to experience heavy showers, she added.

The district collectors of Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur have cancelled leaves of all government employees and asked them not to leave stations as the depression-induced rain could cause damage and flooding.

Apart from this, the collectors of districts such as Rayagada, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Balasore and Nuapada have also been asked to remain prepared for heavy rain.

Asking the district collectors to remain alert, the SRC directed them to engage ODRAF and Fire Service personnel in advance in vulnerable places.

"The state government is closely monitoring the situation. We request the public not to panic over the impending situation," Singh said.

CS Padhi, the engineer-in-chief of the Water Resources Department, said, "All the reservoirs in the southern region are capable of containing rainwater as they are half-filled. There is no flood threat in the region even if there is heavy rain." He said the water level in the Mahanadi will swell as 20 sluice gates of the Hirakud dam have been opened to discharge excess water from the reservoir.

The Hirakud dam is almost full, with the water level remaining at 529.15 feet against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 630 feet.

Padhi said it is expected that around 6 lakh cusec of water will flow at the Mundali barrage near Cuttack on Friday. PTI AAM NN AAM SOM