Low pressure over Bay of Bengal to bring more rain in Odisha till July 20

Bhubaneswar, Jul 17 (PTI) The India Meteorological Department on Friday forecast heavy rainfall in several parts of Odisha for another three days under the impact of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal. The weather system, which lay over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Jharkhand and north Odisha on Friday, is very likely to weaken gradually during next 24 hours, Director of IMD Bhubaneswar Centre, Manorama Mohanty, said. A ‘yellow alert’ (be aware) for heavy rainfall has been issued for some places in Sundargarh, Bargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Bolangir on Saturday, she said. Heavy downpour is also likely to occur at one or two places in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts on Sunday and over Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj on Monday, Mohanty said. Light to moderate rainfall could occur in several other parts across the state till July 22, she said. On Friday, the highest rainfall of 34.2 mm was recorded at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district, followed by Bolangir at 15 mm, the IMD said in a bulletin. Malkangiri registered a rainfall of 14.2 mm, Jharsuguda (11.6 mm), Nuapada and Sonepur (8 mm) and 5 mm at Daringibadi in Kandhamal district, it said. During the current monsoon season till Friday, Odisha has received an average rainfall of 446.9 mm, 17 per cent more than the normal of 382.8 mm, another official said. Meanwhile, the water level of various rivers increased due to heavy rain in the last few days, inundating several low-lying areas and causing traffic disruption, including in Boudh, Dhenkanal, Angul and Cuttack districts, he said. The upper catchment area of the Sapua river witnessed record rainfall this season, with two breaches reported in the Sapua embankment, Water Resources Department Engineer-in-Chief Dillip Kumar Rout said. However, the water level has started receding, Rout said. The water level of the Baitarani river at Akhuapada reached the warning zone and has remained steady, he said. “If further rainfall occurs, the water level might rise to the danger zone,” Rout warned. The water level of Jalaka and Salandi rivers has also increased, but remained below the danger zone, he said. Rout, however, said there was no flood-like situation in major rivers of the state, including Mahanadi, Brahmani, and Budhabalanga, the official added. PTI BBM RBT