Heavy rain likely over Odisha for 2 days; Yellow alert issued

Bhubaneswar, Aug 26: Odisha is bracing up for likely spell of heavy rain on Friday night and Saturday after being battered by twin floods in Mahanadi and Suranarekha river systems.

The IMD in its latest bulletin said Odisha is likely to witness heavy rain during the period and issued yellow warning for thunderstorm in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar, Cuttack, Jajpur, Balasore and Bhadrak, Boudh, Nayagarh, Khurda, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Gajapati, Ganjam, Angul and Dhenkanal till 8.30 am on August 27.

The districts of Gajapati, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri too will receive heavy precipitation on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.

The same warning has been issued for Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts, besides Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir and Kalahandi.

Heavy rainfall warning has also been issued for Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati districts from 8.30 am on August 27 till 8.30 am on August 28.

The IMD said that Bhubaneswar and its adjoining areas will see partly cloudy sky with possibility of moderate rain or thundershower.

There was no substantial precipitation during the day time on Friday, the IMD said.

Ten lakh people were affected by the flood in 14 Odisha districts and 100 villages are still marooned. At least six persons have lost their lives in the natural calamity, officials said.