Torrential rain battered several districts of Odisha, leading to the collapse of some bridges over swollen rivers and disrupting road connectivity, officials said on Wednesday.
A depression, which lay above Odisha a day ago, weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area (Lopar) over Chhattisgarh and east Madhya Pradesh at 5.30 am, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said.
It is likely to move west-northwestwards and gradually weaken further during the next 24 hours, according to a bulletin.
Heavy showers pounded Sambalpur over a 24-period till 8.30 am, with Jamankira recording 147 mm of rain and the district headquarters receiving 126 mm.
Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Jena said rain mainly occurred in southern and western Odisha.
Lakhanpur in Jharsuguda recorded 136 mm of rain, Bijepur in Bargarh 115 mm.
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Traffic was disrupted on one side of National Highway 53 in Sambalpur due to a landslide.
Rain also lashed Cuttack, Kalahandi, Deogarh, and Nabarangpur districts also, the weather office said.
Water levels in the Banshadhara and Nagavali rivers are rising, but it is under control, Jena told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
"Malkangiri was experiencing floods for the past three days and the situation has improved now," Jena said.
In Nuapada, a bridge between Sarabanga and Amanara over the swollen Jonk river caved in, while a portion of a bridge over a canal in Balasore has also collapsed.
Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu said many rivers, such as the Mahanadi, were flowing below the danger level, adding that they were keeping a close watch.
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Another Lopar may form over the northern Bay of Bengal around Saturday. The system can become more marked during the subsequent 24 hours and move west-northwestwards, the Meteorological Centre said.
The Met issued an orange warning of very heavy rain in Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, and Keonjhar till Thursday morning.
It warned of heavy rain in Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, and Balasore on Thursday. Heavy to very heavy rain is predicted in many districts for the subsequent three days.
Fisherfolk has been advised not to venture off the coast till Thursday as squally weather with a wind speed of 45-55 kmph is expected over the northwest and the central Bay of Bengal.
(Inputs from PTI)
