Bhubaneswar: Odisha experienced heavy rainfall as a deep depression made landfall in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, leading the state government to evacuate individuals from vulnerable low-lying and landslide-prone regions, according to officials. Concerns about potential floods and landslides in southern districts prompted the government to assign two senior ministers—Rabi Narayan Naik (Panchayati Raj) and Gokulananda Mallik (Fisheries)—to oversee preparations in Koraput and Gajapati districts.
As reports emerged of continued rain and resulting waterlogging in southern areas, the state government dispatched two additional ministers—Bibhuti Bhusan Jena (Transport) and Nityananda Gond (School and Mass Education)—to Ganjam and Nabarangpur districts, respectively.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari noted that four senior officials had been deployed to the affected regions to assess damage and manage relief efforts. He indicated that the persistent rains from the deep depression had impacted six districts: Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, and Nabarangpur.
In line with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s directive for “zero casualty,” Pujari reported that by Thursday noon, 8,082 individuals had been evacuated, with ongoing efforts to relocate more residents from areas prone to waterlogging. He assured that the situation was being controlled, despite reports of uprooted trees, landslides, waterlogging, road blockages, and rainwater overflow. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries or fatalities.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of increased rainfall intensity, predicting the weather system would move into Odisha near Koraput by evening, with heavy downpours expected to continue for the following two days.
According to IMD data, the state recorded an average of 70 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to 8:30 AM on Thursday, with Semiliguda in Koraput district experiencing the highest at 193.9 mm. At least 17 locations across the state recorded over 100 mm of rainfall. The weather office issued a red alert, advising authorities to take necessary actions and forecasting over 20 cm of rainfall in Nabarangpur district.
Additionally, six districts—Baragada, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, and Malkangiri—were placed under an orange alert, anticipating heavy rainfall between 12-20 cm within the next 24 hours. A yellow alert was issued for nine other districts, including Baleshwar and Sambalpur, predicting 7-11 cm of rainfall.
The IMD also cautioned that squally weather conditions would persist along coastal areas, with wind speeds reaching up to 70 km/h, advising fishermen to refrain from sea activities until Friday morning. Reports from Malkangiri indicated that 4-5 feet of rainwater was flowing over four low-lying bridges—Poteru, Kangurukonda, Kanyashram, and MV-90—along National Highway 326, halting vehicular movement and cutting off communication to Kalimela, Motu, and Padia blocks, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded.
Officials noted that the bridge on the Malkangiri-Chhattisgarh road was also submerged, and water levels in the Balimela, Satiguda, and Jalaput reservoirs had risen significantly. The Balimela-Chitrakonda ghat road was closed due to heavy water flow and landslide risks. While tribal-majority Koraput received substantial rainfall in the past 24 hours, officials confirmed no casualties, injuries, or major traffic disruptions in the district.
