Schools in three districts of Odisha were shut down on Monday after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert due to a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal. This weather system is expected to bring extremely heavy rainfall, raising concerns about potential flash floods in the affected areas.
The districts of Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur, and Kendrapara took precautionary measures by closing all educational institutions. Mayurbhanj has been placed under a red warning, along with Sundargarh and Keonjhar, where intense rainfall is anticipated in isolated areas.
As of 5:30 AM on Monday, the IMD reported that the deep depression was located over the northwestern Bay of Bengal and near the coast of West Bengal and North Odisha, approximately 120 kilometers east-southeast of Balasore. The system, which had been moving slowly northward at a pace of 3 km/h over the last six hours, is forecasted to continue moving north-northwest and cross the coast between Balasore and Canning by Monday afternoon.
IMD regional director Manorama Mohanty cautioned that the system could lead to widespread heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds across Odisha until July 29.
Purna Chandra Sethi, the district education officer in Mayurbhanj, mandated the closure of all government and private educational institutions up to Class 12. However, teachers and non-teaching staff were required to report for duty and coordinate with local authorities for any emergencies.
In Jagatsinghpur, the district administration announced the suspension of classes in all levels of schools, including private and government-aided institutions, as well as Anganwadi centers. Similarly, the Kendrapara district administration declared a one-day closure of schools in anticipation of the intense rainfall.
The IMD also issued an orange warning for several other districts, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, and others, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall.
The special relief commissioner urged collectors from 27 out of 30 districts to remain vigilant due to the forecast of flash flood conditions stemming from ongoing rainfall.
Odisha has experienced an unusually wet July, recording 467.9 mm of rainfall so far this month, which is about 67% above average and the highest increase among all states. This current weather system marks the third low-pressure area impacting Odisha this month, following systems that developed on July 3 and July 14, which have significantly mitigated the rainfall deficit in the state.
Meteorological expert Sarat Chandra Sahoo explained that low-pressure systems originating over the Bay of Bengal play a crucial role in Odisha’s monsoon rainfall, often evolving into stronger weather phenomena that result in substantial precipitation. According to Sahoo, a typical monsoon season experiences around 10 to 13 low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal, which enhance the monsoon flow and are primarily responsible for widespread rainfall across the state.
