Bhubaneswar: Due to the formation of a low pressure over coastal Odisha and neighbourhood with associated cyclonic circulation, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall may lash the State till September 8.
The IMD has also issued red warning for districts including Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur. It has also issued heavy rainfall alerts in these four districts for the next 12 hours.
Similarly, orange warning has been issued for some southern and western districts which includes Gajapati, Puri, Koraput, Bolangir, Rayagada and Nuapada.
Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Jena, in a letter to all the collectors of the district under red and orange alerts, has directed to keep the administrative machinery fully prepared to tackle any possible flood and landslide that may occur due to the intense rainfall in these regions.
The SRC has also asked the collectors to make advance arrangements for evacuation and rescue of people from vulnerable locations to safe shelters and provide them with adequate cooked food, drinking water, lighting, health and sanitation facilities.
Besides, the officials have been asked to stay prepared and make alternative communication arrangements in case of landslides due to incessant rain in hilly terrains of the districts under the red and orange warning.
Meanwhile, floodwater is being released through 12 sluice gates of Hirakud Dam. At present, the water level of Hirakud stands at 625.89 feet against its storage capacity of 630 ft. Around 1,48,600 cusecs of water is entering the dam against an outflow of 1,18,000 cusecs per second.