Heavy rain to lash Odisha in next two days: MeT

Bhubaneswar: Even as flood threat abated in Odisha, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to lash the state in next two days due to a low pressure in the region, the Meteorological Centre here said on Sunday.

Under the impact of a cyclonic circulation over West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh, a low pressure area has formed over central parts of Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Jharkhand, the MeT Centre said.

Light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorm and lightning activities are likely to take place in Odisha during next two days, it said.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Jharsuguda districts till Monday.

Similarly, heavy rainfall may lash some areas of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Angul, Boudh, Cuttack, Gajapati, Ganjam, Raygada, Koraput, Balangir, Sonepur, Bargarh and Kandhamal districts.

Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at some places in the districts of Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Bargarh, Sonepur, Balangir, Nuapada and Jharsuguda on Monday and Tuesday, it said.

Many parts of Odisha experienced rainfall since Saturday. While Jharsuguda received a highest rainfall of 78.2 mm till Sunday morning, it was followed by 63.4 mm in Baripada, 39.4 mm in Cuttack, 28 mm in Bhubaneswar and 35 mm in Talcher, it said.

Meanwhile, the overall rain and flood situation improved substantially in different parts of Odisha.

The water level in all the major rivers, including the Mahanadi, in the state is receding, an official in the Special Relief Commissioner's (CRC) office said.

As rainfall in the upper catchments of Mahanadi river subsided, excess water from Hirakud dam was on Sunday being released through 7 gates, while the dam authorities had opened 20 gates on Friday for discharge of floodwaters.

The water level in Hirakud stood at 620.41 feet at 6 pm as against the full reservoir capacity of 630 feet, while the inflow at the dam was 1,38,423 cusec and outflow 1,27,380 cusec, an official said.

Water discharge in Mahanadi river was at 1,94,000 cusec at Khairmal, while it was 2,06,875 cusec at Barmul and 3,37,136 cusec at Munduli in Cuttack at 6 pm, he said.

The water level in Mahanadi river at Naraj in Cuttack was 24.67 metre at 6 pm as against the danger level of 26.41 metre, he added.