Heavy rain lashes Odisha; people shifted from vulnerable areas

As heavy rain battered Odisha, around 500 people from 12 villages in four blocks of Gajapati district were shifted from vulnerable areas to cyclone shelters as a precautionary measure.

Gajapati (Odisha): With heavy rain lashing Odisha triggered by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal crossing the coast, authorities have begun shifting people from the worst-hit Gajapati district.

Around 500 people from 12 villages in four blocks of Gajapati district were shifted from vulnerable areas to cyclone shelters as a precautionary measure, Kasinagar Tahasildar Santswarup Mishra told media.

On Tuesday morning the deep depression crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast, close to Kakinada and under its influence, six southern districts of Odisha- Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Malkangiri have witnessed heavy downpours over the last two days.

Mishra visited Sitapur and nearby cyclone relief centres and arranged free flooding for all villagers.

Apprehending landslides similar to last year due to the downpour, the authorities have also made arrangements to evacuate many other people from hilly areas of four blocks, Mishra said.

HR Biswas Director IMD said that heavy rain is likely to occur at some places over these six districts including Puri, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Jagatsinghpur till Wednesday.

As sea conditions were rough along and off Odisha coast and squally weather prevailed in the region, fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea in the next 24 hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a Yellow Warning predicting heavy rainfall over the districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Khurda, Puri, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nawarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.

(With inputs from agencies)