With over 450 mm of rainfall recorded at all major coastal stations of Odisha, it has clearly been the wettest October in Odisha in the last five years. Massive downpour has already wreaked havoc in the state, damaging crops worth over 2000 crore and claiming lives of a few. But trouble is not over yet, forecasts suggest more rain is likely in the next 48 hours.
“This year, very severe, Cyclone Phailin brought very heavy rain in many parts of Odisha, in the second week of October. And currently, it is a well-marked low in the Bay of Bengal that is bringing nonstop rain in the state”, says Mahesh Palawat, Head of Meteorological Team at skymetweather.com
So far (till Oct 23rd) Ganjam district has recorded very heavy rain of 668 mm due to the two systems mentioned above, whereas Balasore has received up to 586.8 mm of rainfall.
Other major coastal cities include Bhuvaneshwar, Puri and Cuttack where 482 mm, 592.5 mm and 534.8 mm has been recorded respectively.
“Light to good amounts of rain will continue in Odisha and West Bengal for the next two days, after which the intensity could increase majorly. Heavy rain of over 100 mm is likely in the next 48 hours because the well-marked low pressure system in the Bay of Bengal is feeding moisture through winds in east India”, added Palawat.
Figures of last five year’s show that the last time Odisha received rain this heavy was in 2010, when Puri, Buvaneshwar, Cuttack, Ganjam and Balasore recorded between 200 to 250 mm of rainfall on an average, in the month of October.
In years 2008, 2011 and 2012, the rainfall figures were over 50% below the normal average. In the year, 2009, Odisha had recorded above normal rainfall due to a number of low pressure systems. The figures were over normal by 30% on an average.
