Depression-induced rain lashes Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Rain lashed most parts of Odisha on Saturday as the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal turned into a depression, the India Meteorological Department said.

Twentysix districts in Odisha recorded rainfall in the last 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday. The highest of 108.4 mm rainfall was recorded at Ranpur in Nayagarh district followed by Begunia (84), Pipili, Jatni, Khurda and Naugaon (75 mm each).

Heavy rain lashed Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar, Angul, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts since Saturday morning. The IMD said rainfall is likely to decrease from Saturday due to a gradual change in the weather.

With reports of depression-induced rainfall damaging standing paddy crop, Odisha’s Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta said the State government will provide compensation if the paddy gets affected because of rain continuing since Friday.