Bhubaneswar: With the formation of a fresh low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, moderate to very heavy rainfall continued in parts of the state on Thursday, amid a fresh red warning of extremely heavy rain for Kalahandi and Kandhamal, and an orange alert for very heavy showers in five more districts.A yellow warning of heavy rainfall was also issued for eight districts — Balangir, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nawarangpur, Gajapati and Ganjam — during next two days, said an India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin.Bhawanipatna recorded the state’s highest rainfall of the day at 101.2mm, said the IMD’s evening report. Malkangiri, Balasore and Daringbadi followed with 64mm, 42.2mm and 41mm rainfall, respectively. The city recorded 0.3mm rainfall.Meanwhile, Banki in Cuttack district recorded the highest 100mm rainfall in the state in the last 24 hours, said the IMD’s morning report.Manorama Mohanty, head of the regional IMD centre, said parts of south and interior Odisha would continue to experience heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday. Gajapati and Nawarangpur, however, are monsoon rain deficit so far, even as overall rain during the season so far stands at 19% more compared to normal, she said.A senior govt official at the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said with the heavy rain alert continuing, the collectors were on alert mode to take immediate steps, in case of emergency.The IMD’s latest forecast said heavy to very heavy rainfall would continue in Kalahandi, Nawarangpur and Koraput on Friday. Besides, thunderstorm activity would also continue in some districts.
