Heavy rains have forced several districts in Odisha to close schools and colleges as the state remains on alert for monsoon showers for the third day in a row. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of more rains before July 7 and district governments have started taking precautionary measures based on reports of flooding and infrastructure damage from different districts.According to the state revenue department, educational institutions in Cuttack, Kandhamal, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Bargarh districts remained closed on Monday.
Region 7 Orange Alert
The IMD has issued an orange alert, asking people to prepare for heavy rainfall in Bargarh, Sambalpur, Angul, Sonepur, Buddh, Nupada and Bolangir districts.Yellow warning for heavy rainfall has also been issued for Cuttack, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Deoghar, Dhenkanal, Kooghar, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Nayagarh.According to Manorama Mohanty, director of the Meteorological Center in Bhubaneswar, the rainfall activity is continuing due to an active monsoon system triggered by low pressure over the Bay of Bengal. PTI.
More rain likely until July 7
The meteorological department said more than 200 millimeters of rain was recorded at 12 places in the state in the 24 hours to 8.30am on Monday. Sonepur received the highest rainfall of 328.4 mm, followed by Ulunda in Sonepur district with 290 mm of rainfall.The revenue department received reports of flooding, damaged roads and bridges and uprooted trees in several areas.The IMD said that light to moderate rainfall is likely to occur in most parts of Odisha, heavy to very heavy rainfall in local areas on July 6 and 7, and heavy rainfall in local areas on July 8.The department also reportedly advised fishermen not to venture into the northwestern Bay of Bengal and the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal until July 7, while warning that winds would reach 60 kilometers per hour. PTI.
