Bhubaneswar, July 18: The weatherman has predicted that rainfall in the state will decrease after June 21. The news comes as major relief for residents here, as life has been hit by incessant rainfall and subsequent waterlogging.
The regional meteorological department said the weather would improve in two to three days since the low pressure that had formed over the Bay of Bengal and subsequently turned into a depression, would weaken in the next 48 hours.
"Yesterday's low pressure has turned into a depression today. The system lay about 120km away from Gopalpur and 80km away from Puri around 8.30 this morning. The depression is likely to enter land somewhere between Puri and Gopalpur at midnight tonight and weaken further," said Met director Sarat Chandra Sahu.
Sahu, however, added that they had kept the local cautionary signal hoisted at all ports of the state since the depression was still active. "Strong gusty wind with speed reaching up to 55kmph will prevail in the coastal belt in the next 24 hours. It may bring showers, but rain will surely decrease after July 21," said the Met director. Incessant rain across the state has thrown life out of gear in many parts of the state, including the state capital, which has witnessed intense waterlogging over the past 72 hours. Many areas have remained submerged in rainwater and become the cause for sleepless nights of both the people and the administration.
"We are being forced to make our way through knee-deep water on the streets. We have not seen such waterlogging in the past three years," said Kalpana Hota, a resident of Acharya Vihar.
At this point, the prediction of the weather department has brought smiles. "The rainfall was incessant and the ill-prepared administration doubled our troubles. I am happy to hear that some relief is in sight," said Nityananda Mohanty, a resident of Jayadev Vihar.
Bhubaneswar today received minimum 0.6mm rain. However, the wind continued to blow at a speed of up to 50kmph throughout the day. The maximum and minimum temperature was around 32 degrees and 26 degrees Celsius respectively in the city today.
