Bhubaneswar: After scanty rainfall over the past two weeks, heavy rains have returned to Odisha. As per the Indian Metrological Department, the State will witness heavy rainfall for the next five days.
Cyclonic circulation over north West Bay of Bengal lies over north Odisha and will trigger lashing rainfall and thundershower in the State, the IMD said.
The weather department also issued ‘Red Warning’ for three districts – Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur with the prediction of extremely heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours.
Besides, interior Odisha will also witness moderate to heavy rainfall, the IMD forecasts.
Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bargarh, Sonepur, Bolangir and Kandhamal districts have been issued orange warning due to intense rainfall that will continue till the morning of July 30 due to prediction of extremely heavy rain.
Other districts, such as Rayagada, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Puri, Khordha, Angil, Cuttack, Boudh, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur will witness heavy rain and have been issued yellow alert for the same time duration.
The rainfall activity is likely to intensify from August 1 and will continue during the first week of the month as a low-pressure formation is predicted in a couple of days.
Odisha was battling drought threats due to low rainfall that shot-up the seasonal deficit to 32% by July 24. If Odisha receives widespread rainfall over the next two weeks as forecast, the deficit is likely to fall significantly to single digits improving the situation for farming communities.