The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Heavy rain lashes the State

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Monday, Aug 06, 2007
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Heavy rain lashes the State

Staff Reporter

Sequel to formation of low pressure area over Bay

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

NO ADVENTURE RACING: Vehicles negotiate a flooded Mahatma Gandhi marg in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.–

BHUBANESWAR: When rainfall is in the region of 30 cm, it usually spells trouble in Orissa. But nobody is worried about it this time round. The coastal districts of the State have received heavy rainfall since Saturday afternoon, bringing cheer to the farming community.

Under the influence of a low pressure area that formed over the north west of Bay of Bengal, widespread rain was recorded in coastal, interior and southern districts of the State. However, normal life was affected in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

The well marked low-pressure area lay centred over the north west Bay of Bengal, about 230 km south of Balasore, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Department said here on Sunday.

“It is likely to intensify further and move in a west-north westerly direction and cross the north Orissa-West Bengal coast between Paradip and Digha on Sunday night,” it said.

More to come

The met office forecast widespread rainfall all over the State during the next 48 hours. According to the Revenue Control Room here, Alipingal in Cuttack district received maximum 35 cm since Saturday. It was followed by Cuttack with 33 cm and Naraj and Mundali 27 cm each, while about 25 cm was recorded in Kakatpur of Puri District. It was 18 cm in the port town of Paradip. The Revenue Control Room said heavy rain had been received in districts such Cuttack, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Keonjhar and Jajpur.

The rain has come in the nick of time for the farming community. The State government had sounded alarm bells about possible drought conditions in several districts. In as many as 21 districts, rainfall during the important month of July was deficient. Even as the rain brought much-needed relief in rural pockets, it spoiled the day for urbanites. At several places in Cuttack and Bhubaneswer, rainwater entered houses in low-lying areas.

The rainwater wrought havoc in Acharya Vihar, Niladri Vihar slum, low-lying areas of Rasulgarh, Sahid Nagar and Satabdi Nagar of Bhubaneswar. Rainwater damaged a concrete road in Prachi Enclave Phase-1.

“We are taking stock of the situation. Action is being taken to shift people, particularly slum dwellers, to safer places. If needed, we will pump out water from places frequently used by the public,” said Mihir Mohanty, Mayor of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

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