Rains to lash several parts of Odisha in next 48 hours

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that Odisha is likely to be lashed by more showers over the next two days with the possibility of heavy downpour in some places.

Heavy rainfall is likely to occur in some places in Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara Balangir and Dhenkanal districts in the next 24 hours, the Meteorological Centre here said.

Rain and thundershower are likely to occur at many places over north Odisha and at a few places over southern region of the state till Tuesday, it said.

Most parts of the state have been battered by widespread rainfall for over a month owing to the formation of a series of low pressure in the region.

Average rainfall in the state recorded for the last 24 hours was 19.1 mm.

Jajpur district received the highest average rainfall of 69 mm, the Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office said in a statement.

Six districts have received average rainfall between 25 mm and 50 mm. These are: Bhadrak - 47.2 mm, Sundargarh- 42.9 mm, Dhenkanal- 33.5 mm, Koraput- 29.7 mm, Kendrapara- 28.6 mm and Jharsuguda- 27.2 mm.

Average rainfall in 23 districts remained below 25 mm.

Four blocks have recorded rainfall of over 100 mm. The highest rainfall of 133.6 mm has been received in Gurundia Block of Sundargarh district, 106.0 mm in Dharmasala Block and 101.0 mm in Sukinda Block of Jajpur district and 102.0 mm in Mahanga Block of Cuttack district, it said.

With this, the cumulative average rainfall of the state from June 1 comes to a surplus of 12.2 per cent over the long term average rainfall.

Nine districts have received surplus rainfall of more than 19 per cent, whereas 21 districts have received normal rainfall during the period.

Though river Baitarani was earlier flowing marginally above the danger level of 18.20 metre at Akhuapada, the water level has started receding. All major rivers in the state are flowing below the danger level, the SRC office said.