Bhubaneswar, Sep 26 (PTI) Heavy rain continued to lash Odisha and the weather condition is likely to prevail till Friday due to a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, the IMD said on Thursday.
While normal life was affected in most places of the state, the Puri district administration closed all schools within its jurisdiction for the safety of students.
The state during the last 10 hours from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm has received an average of 26.3 mm rainfall with Boudh recording the highest 46 mm downpour followed by 29 mm Chandbali, 26.3 mm in Bhubaneswar, 25.4 mm in Nuapada, 25 mm each in Khurda and Jajpur.
The IMD in its evening bulletin said that the thunderstorm with lightning and heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) is very likely to occur at isolated places in 21 of the state’s 30 districts.
However, the weather office forecast no rain for four days from 8.30 am on Friday.
The districts which will receive heavy rainfall all along Thursday night were: Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Angul, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Nuapada and Bolangir.Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has asked the district collectors to remain prepared for the eventuality likely to be created due to incessant rainfall.
Officials said that incessant rains in the coastal districts have caused severe water logging in several locations.
Visitors to Konark Sun Temple near Puri faced difficulties due to flooding.
Some tourists were seen wading through knee-deep water as the temple entrance was completely submerged.
The local administration has installed pumps to drain out water from the shrine's premises for the convenience of the visitors, officials said.