Heavy rain batters Odisha, claims 3 lives
Incessant rain, triggered by a low pressure area, created a flood-like situation in some parts of Odisha on Saturday, claiming at least three lives, officials said.
This is the fifth instance of heavy rain pounding the state under the influence of low pressure areas over the Bay of Bengal since August and intense rain had triggered flash floods in south and west Odisha last month.
At least three persons, including a woman, died after being swept away in flooded rivulets and nullahs at different places of Ganjam district, police said.
Heavy rain battered districts such as Ganjam, Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Sundargarh, Puri, Khura and Jagatsinghpur since Friday, while the Meteorological Centre here forecast downpour to persist till Monday in districts such as Bargarh, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda.
The fresh low pressure area now lies over north coastal Odisha and neighbourhood with associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level, Director of the MeT Centre here, H R Biswas said.
Squally weather with gusty surface wind with speed reaching 40-50 kmph is likely to prevail along and off Odisha coast. Sea condition is likely to be "rough to very rough", the weathermen said.
Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea till Sunday. The water levels in all major rivers including Mahanadi in the state are below the danger marks, a senior official said.
