Flash floods were reported along the embankments of the Hati River in Odisha’s Kalahandi district on Sunday as low pressure-triggered heavy rainfall battered the state, prompting two district administrations to declare school holidays for Monday, officials said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that heavy rainfall is expected to in several Odisha districts toll August 26 under the impact of the low-pressure system over the northwestern Bay of Bengal.
Authorities released 412 cusecs of water from the Mangalpur Barrage of the Indravati Project into the already-swollen Hati River, triggering flash floods along its banks earlier this morning.
Floodwaters submerged low-lying areas in Talpada, Bankapala, and Jampadar villages under Kalampur block. The block administration, team led by BDO Vijay Kumar Marandi, rescued 293 people from Paruaguda and Bodelbandh villages while providing free emergency rations, an official said.
Heavy rain has severely disrupted key road connectivity, including the routes from Junagarh to Kalampur and Thuamul Rampur to Kashipur.
In view of the severe weather forecast, district administrations have announced the closure of all schools and Anganwadi centres in Nabarangpur, alongside 89 schools in vulnerable areas of Bhadrak, on Monday.
Several areas across Odisha recorded heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the 24 hours till 8:30 AM today, with at least two locations registering over 200 mm of rainfall.
The weather office said extreme rainfall of 345 mm at Thuamula Rampur in Kalahandi district, while Kashipur in Rayagada district we recorded 212 mm.
Nineteen other locations across the state recorded rainfall between 100 mm and 200 mm during the 24 hours, it said.
The IMD noted that an upper air cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal off the West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts developed into a low-pressure area early Sunday morning, the IMD said.
The weather system is expected to move northwestward across northern Odisha and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal over the next 24 hours.
An ‘orange’ warning (be prepared to take action) has been issued for Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur, and Boudh districts for Monday, the weather said.
Additionally, a ‘yellow warning’ (be aware) has been issued for Balasore, Deogarh, Angul, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, and Nayagarh districts.
The IMD also cautioned that thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds are likely in various other regions of Odisha.
Squally conditions with wind speeds between 40 and 60 kmph are expected over the Bay of Bengal, along the West Bengal coast, and off adjoining Odisha till Monday.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along the Odisha coast till August 24 due to rough conditions.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling, alongside Director of Public Health Rabindranath Mishra, visited Bhadrak on Sunday to assess the flood situation.
As part of emergency relief efforts, 16 medical centres have been opened in the worst-hit areas of Dhamnagar, Bhandaripokhari, Chandabali, and Tihidi blocks in Bhadrak district.
Furthermore, eight rapid response teams (RRTs) and 10 mobile health units have been deployed in the affected areas in Bhadrak, where healthcare workers are conducting door-to-door monitoring, they said.
Flooding has impacted nearly 3 lakh people across 244 villages in five blocks of Bhadrak district.
To manage health emergencies, authorities distributed supplies of anti-snake venom, bleaching powder, halazone tablets, and oral rehydration salts (ORS).
According to officials, 16 snakebite incidents and 107 cases of acute diarrhoeal disease (ADD) have been reported in the district so far, with 12,786 people receiving care for minor illnesses.
Disease surveillance measures have been intensified, with health teams gathering 21 rectal swabs and 657 water samples to prevent water-borne and communicable disease outbreaks.
