Heavy rainfall across Odisha since September 11 has triggered a rise in the water levels of all major rivers of the state
Bhubaneswar railway station. Photo: Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi's Facebook page Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, recorded 195 millimetres (mm) rainfall over the last 24 hours till 8.30 am on September 13, 2021. Heavy rainfall across Odisha since September 11 has also triggered a rise in the water levels of all major rivers of the state.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the last 24 hours’ rainfall recorded in Bhubaneswar is the highest for the city in 63 years for the month of September. The city was expected to have more rain in the next 24 hours, IMD said.
Normal life was disrupted in several areas of the city as they were deluged with water. Rain water flowed on the streets and many residential areas had knee deep water for several hours.
Besides Bhubaneswar, other areas of the state also witnessed incessant rains. In the last 24 hours, Puri recorded its highest-ever rainfall of 341 mm while Paradeep in Jagatsinghpur had a rainfall of 219 mm, Gopalpur in Ganjam district 64 mm, Chandbali in Bhadrak district 46 mm and Balasore district headquarters 24 mm.
Several rivers including the Brahmani, Baitarani, Subarnarekha, Kushabhadra, Rushikulya and Devi are in spate due to heavy rainfall. The Central Water Commission has issued an advisory to the districts through which the rivers flow.
The collectors of Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh, Angul, Deogarh and Keojhar districts have been asked to keep a watch on the flood situation in their respective districts.
In the meanwhile, IMD has forecast heavy rainfall for 13 districts of the state due to the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal that crossed the north Odisha coast on the morning of September 13.
The system, which would move towards Chhattisgarh in the next 24 hours, might cause “heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places” in the north and interior and some coastal districts till the next 24 hours, an IMD bulletin said.
Water level may rise in the Mahanadi river as there may be rain in Chhattisgarh triggered by the depression, according IMD officials.
IMD has asked the Odisha government to take necessary precautions as the rain might cause flash floods in hilly areas, waterlogging in low-lying areas and damage to roads in rural areas.
Fishermen in coastal areas have been advised not to venture into the sea till September 14 as sea conditions might be very rough, with a wind speed of 45-55 km gusting 65 km due to the depression.
The state water resources department said there was no flood-like situation. But it cancelled leaves of all employees to be prepared for that eventuality.
According to Jagatsinghpur collector, Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, a total of 1,887 persons had been evacuated from low-lying areas. Among casualties, a farmer drowned in a canal flooded by rainwater in Khurda district. In Kendrapara district, two persons died due to house collapse.
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