Bhubaneswar: Educational institutions were closed, roads snapped at several places and normal life was thrown out of gear in many parts of Odisha today following heavy rains since last 24 hours.
Low lying areas in almost all disctricts including the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar remained waterlogged due to the incessant rain triggered by a low pressure system over northwest Bay of Bengal.
Bhubaneswar recorded a record 102 mm rainfall between the evening and midnight of Monday, causing waterlogging at several places like Jaydev Vihar, Nayapalli, CRP and Paika Nagar. Rainwater entered houses in areas like Sashtri Nagar, Nayapalli and other low lying lanes and bylanes of the city.
Meanwhile, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation authorities have geared up to tackle the situation and issued toll free helpline numbers 18003450061, 0674-2432281 to faciliate assistance.
The disctrict administrations of Cuttack and Khurda declared closure of all educational institutions in view of the heavy rains.
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Traffic movement was severely hit as rainwater inundated several localities in Cuttack. As many as 190 motor pumps have been installed to flush out excess rainwater from low lying areas, informed sources.
Similarly, a man died and his wife sustained critical injuries after the wall of their house at Bedasahi village in Panchupali panchayat under Ghasipur block in Keonjhar district.
The Bhubaneswar Regional Meteorological Centre has issued heavy rainfall alert for districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Jharsuguda and Sundergarh in the next 24 hours.
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With the low pressure system likely to turn into a well marked low pressure today, heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted to occur today in Puri, Khurda, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Deogarh and Dhenkanal districts, a statement from the met office said.
Similarly, the heavy showers have caused swelling in Jalaka and Subarnarekha rivers with flood threat looming large in Basta block of Balasore. The water level was flowing above the danger mark of 5.5 metre in Jalaka River when the reports lat came in. In Subarnarekha, the water level is at 8.86 and inching closer to the danger mark of 10.36 metre.
More rains likely to lash northern, coastal & southern parts of Odisha in next 24 hours, informed Met Centre Director HR Biswas.