Schools, anganwadis in 2 Odisha districts to remain shut today over heavy rainfall warning

Schools in Odisha's Malkangiri and Ganjam districts will remain closed on Tuesday following heavy to very heavy rainfall alert by the IMD.

Officials in Malkangiri and Ganjam districts announced the closure of all schools and anganwadi centres in the districts on Tuesday following prediction of heavy to very heavy rainfall alert in the region due to a deep depression over Bay of Bengal that passed through Odisha coast on Monday.

IMD officials said Malkangiri and Ganjam districts are going to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall on Tuesday(HT Photo)

IMD officials said Malkangiri, which is witnessing massive submergence due to rain over last 2 days, and Ganjam districts are going to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall on Tuesday and the weather department has sounded alert to these districts.

The IMD has issued a red alert citing in these two districts with prediction of heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) at a few places with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm)apart from Koraput, Nawarangpur, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Bolangir and Boudh.

Malkangiri is now facing a flood-like situation after it was battered by heavy rains forcing the state government to depute Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force personnel and a team of senior government officials. At least 3 blocks of Malkangiri district have witnessed rainfall of over 200 mm in a span of 24 hours with Malkangiri Sadar block alone receiving 253 mm of rain. Six blocks in Malkangiri and Koraput districts received more than 100 mm of rainfall till 8.30 am. Over 1,800 people had to be shifted to safer places in Malkangiri as storm water submerged roads and bridges.

"The heavy downpour have severely affected Malkangiri with floodwater is overflowing all the bridges from Pangam to Motu Road in Malkangiri, affecting road communication at eight places. Six villages in Malkangiri and Kalimela blocks have been affected, while 504 people so far been evacuated and sheltered in four relief camps. Six units of ODRAF have been deployed in the district. Vehicular movements came to a standstill as National Highway-326 got completely submerged under water," said special relief commissioner DK Singh after a meeting to review the preparedness measures to deal with the flood situation in Malkangiri and Koraput.

In Koraput, power generation at Machkund Hydroelectric Project was temporarily halted after flood water seeped through the walls of the dam. Floodwater entered Unit 2 of the hydro power project leading to temporary closure of the unit on Monday.