BHUBANESWAR: With IMD predicting moderate rainfall in parts of Odisha from January 1 to 4, the State Government on Tuesday asked district administrations to take measures to prevent damage to paddy at procurement centres (mandis).Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena, who issued an alert to the collectors in this regard, stated that necessary measures need to be taken to protect paddy in mandis against the unseasonal rain. “Farmers should be advised to shift their harvested paddy to a safe place and keep it properly covered to avoid any loss and prevent damage,” Jena said.
The IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall in parts of Odisha between January 1 and 4. Moderate rain and thundershower will occur in parts of Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Mayurbhanj, Boudh, Sonepur and Nuapada on January 1, while the weather will remain dry in the rest parts of the State.
The Met department has issued yellow warning for January 2 and 3 stating that thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and hail likely to occur in parts of coastal Odisha as well as Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar Gajapati, Rayagada and Kandhamal districts during the period.
Besides, there is a possibility of moderate rainfall in 10 districts including Cuttack, Khurda and Ganjam on January 4.
Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre HR Biswas said the rainfall will occur mostly due to a cyclonic circulation that lies over North Odisha and neighbourhood. Interaction between western disturbance and lower level easterlies will also contribute to the rainfall. Director of Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) Sarat Sahu said the movement of the western disturbance towards the eastern region would support rainfall in the State with moderate precipitation in a number of places.
He said the movement may also result in a marginal increase in the temperature.
As per IMD forecast, cold conditions will prevail but the temperature may rise by 2 to 3 degrees during the next four days. On Tuesday, the temperature remained below 10 degree Celsius (C) in 14 stations. Angul recorded the lowest temperature of the day at 5 degrees C. Mercury plunged to 5.6 degrees in Sonepur, 6 in Daringbadi, 6.5 in Phulbani, 8 in Jharsuguda and 9 in Cuttack. The minimum temperature in the Capital City remained 9.8 degree C.
Forecast
Light to moderate rainfall in parts of State between January 1 and 4
Moderate rain and thundershower in 10 dists on January 1
Yellow warning issued for January 2 and 3
Rainfall to occur mostly due to a cyclonic circulation that lies over North Odisha and neighbourhood