Ahead of fresh low pressure, Odisha readies school buildings for shelter

Bhubaneswar: Amid the prevailing flood situation in Odisha, the State Government today decided to keep buildings of all government schools ready for shelter and relief distribution purpose as a fresh low pressure area is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal on August 19.

The government has written a letter in this regard to all District Project Coordinators, DEOs and BEOs of the state.

“All school buildings of School & Mass Education Department of affected districts should be made available as per requirement of District Administration in case of exigency. The headmaster of schools may allow using MDM food grains, if necessary, by the District Administration which will be recouped from the SRC and may also allow the school buildings for the purpose of shelter and relief distribution as per requirement,” the letter read.

“All DEOs, DPCs and BEOs should ensure to keep the official papers and documents safely to avoid any damages due to heavy rainfall. All DEOs, DPCs and BEOs will prepare the damage report and DEO will submit the consolidated report to the respective Director under intimation to the Department immediately after the impending rainfall is over. The DEOs, DPCs and BEOs will not leave Headquarters without the prior permission of the Collector and District Magistrate,” the letter added.

On the other hand, two senior IAS officers– Satyabrat Sahu and G Reghu– have been deputed in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts, respectively to guide, support and assist the administration in flood response management.

After a break for couple of days, heavy rainfall may resume in Odisha from tomorrow (August 18) as a fresh low pressure area is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal on August 19.

Under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely to occur in several districts of the state from August 18 till August 20.

Below is day-wise forecast in this regard:

August 18: Heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Bargarh.

August 19: Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Angul, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh and Jajpur.

Heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Rayagada, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri.

August 20: Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Nuapada, Bolangir, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur and Kalahandi.

Heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Boudh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Deogarh and Keonjhar.