Bhubaneswar:  Heavy rains, triggered by a deep depression, lashed Odisha state on Monday, prompting the authorities to issue a flood alert, officials said. An official statement on the matter by the weather department reads as under: “A depression had formed over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha coast on Sunday evening which intensified and crossed the Odisha coast as a ‘deep depression’ close to Chandbali early Monday morning between 5.30 and 6.30 am’ The deep depression is likely to bring heavy rain in its track, covering several parts of central India and west coast, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned.

It is likely to move west-northwestwards across North Odisha and north Chhattisgarh and weaken gradually into a depression during the next 24hrs. Water-logging was also reported from several areas of Bhubaneswar as the state capital recorded 195 mm rainfall in the 24 hours till 8.30 am -- the highest in the last 63 years. On September 9, 1958, the city had received 163 mm rainfall, they said.

The Metrological department office has issued 'Red' warning, predicting heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rains, for Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Sonepur and Bargarh. In the last 24 hours, Puri received 341 mm rainfall, followed by Paradip (219 mm), Gopalpur (64 mm), Chandbali (46 mm), Balasore (24 mm), the IMD officoa; said.

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