Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued a Yellow Warning for heavy rainfall in 11 districts of Odisha while forecasting light to moderate rain or thundershowers across the state over the next seven days as the southwest monsoon remains active. The weather office has also warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds in several districts during the coming week.
According to the IMD’s midday weather bulletin, heavy rainfall is very likely at one or two places in Sundaragada, Jharsuguda, Baragada, Sambalpur, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir and Kandhamal till the morning of July 19. Similar heavy rainfall activity is expected to continue over parts of western and northern Odisha on July 19-20, with Sundaragada, Jharsuguda, Baragada, Sambalpur, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj and Nuapada remaining under Yellow Warning.
For July 20-21, the IMD has forecast heavy rainfall over Sundaragada, Jharsuguda, Kendujhar and Mayurbhanj. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph are also likely over Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Kataka, Sundaragada, Jharsuguda, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha and Nayagada. Similar thunderstorm activity is expected over Baleshwar, Kendujhar and Mayurbhanj on July 21-22, while Rayagada and Gajapati are likely to witness thunderstorms with gusty winds on July 22-23. No weather warning has been issued for July 23-25, although light to moderate rain or thundershowers are expected to continue across the state.
The IMD attributed the prevailing weather conditions to an upper air cyclonic circulation over south Odisha and its neighbourhood extending up to 5.8 km above mean sea level. Although the low-pressure area over western parts of Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Jharkhand has become less marked, the associated cyclonic circulation persists over the region.
The weather office said the southwest monsoon remained active over Odisha during the past 24 hours. Heavy rainfall was recorded at one or two places in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Kataka and Kalahandi districts. Satyabadi in Puri district recorded the state’s highest rainfall at 11 cm, followed by Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur and Gop in Puri with 10 cm each.
The IMD cautioned that heavy rainfall could trigger waterlogging in low-lying areas, localized flooding of roads, traffic disruption, reduced visibility, minor damage to kutcha roads and vulnerable structures, landslides in susceptible areas and damage to standing crops. It advised people to avoid waterlogged areas, follow traffic advisories and refrain from staying in vulnerable structures during periods of intense rainfall.
