Bhubaneswar, Aug 26 (IANS) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday forecast heavy rainfall across various parts of the state in the coming days following the formation of a fresh low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, off the Odisha coast.

As per reports, hundreds of villages in Baliapal, Bhograi, Basta, and Jaleswar blocks in Balasore district have been submerged due to the overflowing of the Subarnarekha River.

Similarly, around 45 villages in the Jajpur district were inundated by floodwaters from the Baitarani River.

Many residents of Bhandaripokhari and Dhamnagar blocks in the Bhadrak district are reeling under severe hardships due to the flood.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the state Water Resources Department stated on Tuesday that the flood situation in the state had significantly improved compared to Monday.

He expressed the hope that the situation would further improve on Wednesday.

He said that the Dasarathpur block of Jajpur district is affected the most due to the 30-ft wide breach in the Kani river, a tributary of the Baitarani River, embankment near the Kaspa panchayat of the block.

The Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari informed that over 5,000 persons in the flood-hit areas of Jajpur district have been shifted to relief centres and are being provided free food items and medical facilities by the district administration.

Pujari also stated that he will visit Jajpur district and physically inspect the breach in the Baitarani River. On the other hand, the IMD on Tuesday predicted heavy rainfall due to the low-pressure area over the BoB.

The agency also forecast that the low-pressure area is likely to move west-northwestwards and become more marked during the next two days.

The IMD issued a red alert of extremely heavy rainfall and thunderstorm with lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph to occur at one or two places over the districts of Koraput, Malkangiri of the state on Tuesday.

The weather agency also warned on Tuesday of heavy to very heavy rainfall in many parts of the state over the next four to five days.

–IANS

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