Heavy rains to lash western districts of Odisha
After Cyclone Yaas created havoc in coastal districts of Odisha, a low pressure created over northwest Bay of Bengal appeared set to bring heavy rainfall in the western region of the state on Saturday, the Met office said. "Extremely heavy falls to occur at isolated places over the districts of Sambalpur, Sonepur, Bolangir, Bouddh, Bargarh, and Angul," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Red, orange and yellow warnings issued across several districts
The IMD issued a red warning, meaning take action, for the above-mentioned districts. The weather office also issued an orange warning (alert & be prepared) for Malkangiri, Koraput, Nawarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, and Deogarh districts. For districts such as Jharsuguda, Sundergarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Nayagarh, Gajapati, Rayagada, and Kandhamal, a yellow warning (watch & be updated) is issued.
Authorities told to prepare for water-logging, localized floods and landslides
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena in a letter to all the district collectors asked them to closely monitor the situation in the districts for which red, orange, and yellow warnings were issued. He said the authorities should be prepared to meet water logging/localized flood-like situations in urban areas. The SRC also warned them about the possibility of landslides in hilly areas.
People from low-lying areas and kutcha houses can be evacuated
SRC asked the collectors and municipal corporations to evacuate people if required from low-lying areas and kutcha houses. Instructions have been given to the water resources department to ensure the protection of weak and vulnerable embankments in rivers and major nullahs. The IMD said that the low-pressure area now lies over Northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal coasts.
High speed winds predicted in the area till June 14
The low-pressure area formed due to cyclonic circulation over the sea is likely to become more marked during the next 24 hours and move west-northwest across Odisha. Squally weather with surface wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely to prevail over along and off Odisha coast and North Bay of Bengal adjoining the west-central Bay of Bengal till June 14.
