Bhubaneswar: Normal life came to a standstill in Odisha on Wednesday as all 30 districts experienced approximately 60 percent more rainfall than usual. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted further rain until September 27, leading the State government to alert all districts. The ongoing low pressure system has already caused significant rainfall, and another low pressure is expected to form on Thursday, prompting precautionary measures. The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has advised districts under Orange and Yellow warnings to prepare their administrative systems for any emergencies. The IMD issued an Orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning, with wind speeds of 30-40 km/h in districts such as Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Nuapada.
Additionally, a Yellow warning has been issued for 27 other districts until 8:30 am Thursday. Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea from September 24 to 28 due to rough conditions. A senior meteorologist indicated that the low pressure forming on September 25 could intensify into a depression, leading to more heavy rainfall across the State. This potential depression will likely cross the south Odisha-north Andhra coasts on September 27, with rainfall expected to continue for four more days. Reports from Sambalpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nuapada, and Bolangir indicate significant waterlogging in several areas, including towns like Sambalpur, Bolangir, Patnagarh, and Nuapada. Civil authorities are utilizing pumps to remove rainwater that has entered homes.
The Special Relief Commissioner’s office reported that Burla in Sambalpur district received 226 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, followed by Hatadihi in Keonjhar (180 mm), Ambadhona in Bargarh (180 mm), Dhankaud in Sambalpur (178.2 mm), and Sambalpur itself (177.1 mm). The Koraput district administration has canceled government employees’ leaves until September 28 due to the IMD’s heavy rain warnings. A second landslide at Kalinga Ghat along the Ganjam-Kandhamal border has resulted in road closures until September 30. In Malkangiri, Collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay has also canceled all government officials’ and employees’ leaves until September 28 in light of the heavy rain forecast.
Sambalpur, a central town in the State’s western region, is experiencing severe waterlogging due to continuous rainfall over the past 48 hours, recording 177.1 mm in one day. Conditions are expected to worsen as the Hirakud dam’s authorities have opened four additional sluice gates to manage rising water levels, discharging excess rainwater through a total of 12 gates.