As the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal weakened into a depression and the weather office reported rainfall deceasing in different parts of the State on Saturday, people of the State, especially farmers, heaved a sigh of relief.
But in some coastal districts like Cuttack and Kendrapara and some interior districts, waterlogging in the crop lands caused widespread damage to paddy and vegetable crops despite all efforts of the farmers to transport their produce to safe places.
Meanwhile, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheshwar Mohanty said after the rains stop, the damage assessment would be done and after the reports are obtained the Government would decide on payment of compensation.
The Regional Office of Indian Metrological Department (IMD)here said the deep depression over west central Bay of Bengal moved north northwestwards and weakened into a depression over west-central and adjoining north west Bay of Bengal at 11:30 pm on Friday. Then the depression over west central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal moved north north eastwards with a speed of about 18 km per hour.
It lay centred over northwest Bay of Bengal, about 150 km south-southeast of Gopalpur and 150 km south-southwest of Paradip. The system is very likely to move north-northeastwards along and off Odisha coast towards West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh coast. It is very likely to maintain its intensity during 24 hours and weaken gradually during subsequent 12 hours.
Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in the districts of Maurbhanj, Baleswar, Bhadrak and Jajpur during next 24 hours. Rain or thundershower is likely to occur at one or two places in the interior districts of Odisha during next 24 hours. Squally winds speed reaching 45-55 km per hour gusting to 65 km per hour are very likely to prevail along and off Odisha coasts in next 24 hours and sea condition would be rough to very rough along and off Odisha coasts during the period.
Fishermen were advised not to venture into sea. Signal number 3 (LC-III) was kept hoisted at all ports in Odisha, said the IMD.