Heavy Rain Lashes Odisha as Depression Intensifies, Schools Shut

Heavy rain lashed coastal and southern Odisha on Tuesday as a depression over the Bay of Bengal moved towards the state, prompting authorities to shut schools, cancel government employees' leave and place vulnerable districts on high alert.

The administrations of Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam and Gajapati closed schools for the day, while schools in Malkangiri will remain shut until September 24. Anganwadi centres have also been closed until September 24. Teachers and other school staff, however, have been asked to report for duty, with principals instructed to maintain rosters so that school buildings remain accessible round the clock during any emergency.

The National Rural Talent Scholarship examination scheduled for September 22 will be held as planned at designated centres. Authorities in Koraput and Kalahandi have directed teachers not to leave their places of posting until September 25. Government employees' leave has also been cancelled in Ganjam, Koraput and Kalahandi.

Vehicular movement has been restricted on some roads, including Kalinga Ghat between Ganjam and Kandhamal. Ferry services between Satapada and Jahnikuda in Chilika Lake have been suspended until September 25.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the depression was around 220 km from Gopalpur in Odisha and 320 km from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It is likely to intensify into a deep depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours and cross the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur from the night of September 23 to the early hours of September 24.

Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said collectors of 11 districts had been placed on high alert amid forecasts of heavy to very heavy rainfall, waterlogging, urban flooding, landslides and mudslides. Several cyclone and flood shelters have been kept ready.

IMD Bhubaneswar director Manorama Mohanty said rainfall would continue until September 25. Red alerts have been issued for several southern districts, with extremely heavy rain possible in isolated areas. Squalls with winds gusting up to 75 kmph are also expected along the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coast from September 23 to 24.

The government said the system was expected to intensify only into a deep depression and not a cyclone.