IMD's heavy rain alert for Ganjam, Gajapati

BHUBANESWAR: A fresh low pressure area has formed over the Andaman Sea on Saturday, increasing chances of heavy rain in Ganjam and Gajapati districts on Wednesday, the IMD said.
Such rainfall activity may increase for one or two more days, mostly in south Odisha and adjoining districts, due to the influence of the system which is expected to cross Andhra Pradesh coast by Thursday after intensifying into a depression, the forecast added.
A bulletin from the IMD said the system is likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a depression over north Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal by Monday. It is likely to continue to move west-northwestwards, intensify further and reach near the Andhra Pradesh coast.
With rainfall activity now continuing at a few places in coastal and adjoining pockets due to a trough line, the IMD has issued heavy rainfall warning in six coastal districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Cuttack, Khurda and Nayagarh for Sunday.
Umashankar Das, a scientist at regional IMD centre, said rainfall due to the fresh system would increase in south Odisha pockets by Wednesday. He said night temperature, which has been rising for the past few days, would continue for the next four-five days.
Meanwhile, the Ganjam administration is bracing for a possible flood situation after the IMD's alert. Life in several areas of the coastal district, including Berhampur, was thrown out of gear, as Ganjam faced the brunt of rainfall for three consecutive days.
"Though all the major rivers in the district are flowing below the danger level and the reservoirs are below their storage capacity, we are preparing for the possibility of flood as the IMD has predicted more rain in the next few days," said Ganjam district collector Vijay Amruta Kulange. At least 10 areas in the district recorded more than 100mm rainfall in the last 24 hours till 8am on Saturday.