Cyclonic storm may trigger rain in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: The cyclonic storm brewing over Bay of Bengal on Saturday moved closer to the coast increasing chances of heavy rainfall in as many as 13 of the 30 districts, said a latest forecast from IMD.

The system, a low pressure which turned into a deep depression by Saturday evening, was lying about 870 km from Machlipatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

The forecast said it would move north-northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Onghole and Kakinada by Monday.

Director of IMD regional cenre H R Biswas said there would be more rain in 13 districts though the entire state is expected to receive the showers. The main districts are Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Bargarh, Balangir, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur.

Biswas said intensity of the rainfall would decrease by Tuesday. The present trend of cold condition would continue, he added.

Several places in the state on Saturday experienced cloudy weather. For Sunday and Monday, the forecast said light to moderate rainfall at many places with chances of heavy rainfall at isolated places in select districts. The fishermen were also advised not to venture out into the sea till the cyclone passed. The forecast said there were also chances of squally wind speed reaching 80 to 90 km gusting to 100 km.

With IMD issuing fresh warning of heavy rain, it prompted the state government to alert some district collectors again.

Deputy relief commissioner Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra said his office again wrote to select collectors to stress on last minute aggressive public awareness drive for maximum harvest of paddy.

"We try our best to harvest. But it seems impossible. Where do we get adequate labour or machines for harvest and bring them to home," asked Kabi Samantaray, a farmer of Pipli.

There were also reports that thousands of bags of paddy brought for sale to 'mandis' by farmers have been left under the open sky.