Heavy Rain to Continue in Odisha Until Sunday

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is experiencing heavy rainfall, which is expected to continue until Sunday, according to the Bhubaneswar Regional Meteorological Center. The ongoing rains have caused a dip in temperatures, increasing the winter chill and disrupting normal life across the state.

The rainfall is attributed to a depression in the Bay of Bengal. The center reported that Khurda received the highest rainfall in the last 24 hours, recording 75 mm. Other areas also saw significant rainfall, with Jagatsinghpur receiving 61.2 mm, Paradip 61.1 mm, Gopalpur 58.6 mm, Cuttack 33.4 mm, Bhubaneswar 51.6 mm, Puri 40.5 mm, Parlakhemundi 53 mm, and Chhatrapur 51.8 mm. Sonepur recorded the lowest at 1.6 mm.

The depression is moving at 5 kmph and is expected to head in a northeastern direction, causing further rainfall in Odisha. The IMD has issued a yellow warning for four districts—Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, and Kendrapara—where heavy to very heavy rainfall is anticipated.

The rain, accompanied by breezy winds, has caused temperatures to drop. In Bhubaneswar, the daytime temperature has decreased to 8.5 degrees Celsius. Many parts of Odisha, including Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, are witnessing continuous rainfall, which has led to disruptions in vehicular movement.

The heavy rain has raised concerns for farmers, as the harvest season for paddy has arrived. Some farmers have moved their harvested crops to secure places to protect them from the rain. The persistent rainfall is a source of worry for agricultural activities, particularly in coastal and central Odisha.