High alert on Odisha's coastal districts as deep depression formed over NW and adjoining NE Bay of Bengal and lay centered about 200 km east-southeast of Balasore and 130 km east-southeast of Digha at 1130 IST of today. The Meteorological Department gave this information.
New Delhi: The Odisha government on Friday issued a ‘high alert’ for the coastal districts in view of heavy rains in many parts of the state as deep depression formed over NW and adjoining NE Bay of Bengal. A senior official gave this information. Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena said that the situation in the flood-hit areas has worsened even before the rains again in the Mahanadi basin area.
It is likely to cross West Bengal and Odisha coast through Balasore and Sagar Islands by this evening. It will continue to move west-northwestwards over Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand and gradually weaken towards North Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, a senior official said that the Odisha government on Friday issued a ‘high alert’ for the coastal districts in view of heavy rains in many parts of the state as the low pressure area intensified into a depression.
Depression over Northwest & adjoining Northeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a Deep Depression and lay centered about 200 km east-southeast of Balasore and 130 km east-southeast of Digha at 1130 IST of today. To cross the coast b/w Balasore & Sagar Islands by today evening: IMD pic.twitter.com/MGXjgm3Wwg
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2022
Special Relief Commissioner P.K. Jena said that the situation in the flood-hit areas has worsened even before it rains again in the Mahanadi basin area. The state government has asked the district administration to provide help to the people in the affected areas.
A revenue department official said that due to heavy rains due to the pressure zone, Jagatsinghpur and Raigad districts and some areas of Subarnarekha basin in the northern region were flooded. According to the Meteorological Department, Jagatsinghpur district recorded 107 mm of rain overnight.
The Odisha government has asked the officials of the district to monitor the situation in view of the forecast of the Meteorological Department. A ‘Red Alert’ has been issued with forecast of extremely heavy rains in some parts of Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts. Officials said that due to the rains, the water in the rivers may increase. Flooding, mudslides and landslides are likely to occur in sensitive mountainous areas, causing damage to some vulnerable roads and houses.
Orange alert has been issued for 12 districts including Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Dhenkanal and Angul. A ‘yellow alert’ has been issued for Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Khurda and Puri. Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea till Saturday. According to the state government, the amount of water in Hirakud reservoir was 622.37 feet at 8 am, while it can hold only 630 feet of water.
So far, more than five lakh people in 13 districts have been affected by the floods in the state. As of Thursday, 90,000 people had been moved to 190 relief camps.