Bhubaneswar: Under the influence of the likely formation of a low pressure area over North Bay of Bengal in the next 12 hours, Odisha is expected to receive heavy rainfall in many districts. The Meteorological Department has said that the cyclonic circulation lies over west Myanmar and neighbourhood and extends upto middle tropospheric levels. Under its influence a Low Pressure Area is likely to form over North Bay of Bengal in the next 12 hours. It is likely to become more marked during the subsequent 24 hours and move west-northwestwards thereafter.
Due to the low pressure, many districts of coastal and internal Odisha will receive heavy rains with some places getting heavy to very heavy rains The IMD has issued Orange Warning for Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khordha, Puri, Nayagarh, Ganjam , Gajapati, Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, and Kalahandi till 8.30 am of 14th August.
While rains continued in various places over northern and coastal areas, the upper catchment areas of river Mahanadi have also received heavy rains. The Hirakud Dam authorities in Sambalpur have opened four more gates of the dam taking the total number of gates open to 24.
The State Government has asserted that there is no immediate threat of floods in the state as a result of the continued rains. A close watch is being kept over the situation and all the departments are ready to face any threat. As rains are expected in various places over North and Coastal Odisha, water level in many rivers such as Subernarekha, Baitarini, Jalaka is liketo rise. The water level in Jalaka river has already crossed the danger mark at Mathani in Basta Block.