Thaindian News

Bhubaneswar, Oct 7 (IANS) The Orissa government Thursday asked all the concerned district collectors to remain alert following a forecast of heavy rain during the next two days in coastal districts.

“We have asked all district collectors of costal belt to remain alert as some areas may witness flash floods. We have also asked them not to grant leave to the officials engaged in emergency duty,” Surya Narayan Patro, revenue and disaster management department told reporters.

The district authorities of the southern belt have been told to remain extra careful, as heavy rains have been predicted in those regions, he said.

The torrential rains lashing parts of the state since past two days have hit normal life forcing large number of people to stay indoors.

Roads were wearing deserted look, government and private offices Thursday witnessed thin attendance.

Most places of the state are likely to witness rains next two days because of depression formed over west central Bay of Bengal, an official of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said.

The depression Thursday lay centred, about 220 km of south-south-west of the port town of Gopalpur in the district of Ganjam, he said.

“The system would intensify further and move initially northwards for some more time and then re-curve north-north-eastwards and cross Orissa coast between Gopalpur and Paradip by Thursday night”, he said.

“Heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur at a few places over coastal region of the state and heavy rain at one or two places over interior belt,” he said.