Bhubaneswar, 3 October (H.S.): Odisha remains under the grip of a deep depression that made landfall near Gopalpur, along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border, late Thursday night. The system, moving in a north-northwest direction, has triggered widespread rainfall, particularly affecting coastal and southern districts of the state.

The Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, reported heavy to very heavy showers across several regions, with some pockets witnessing extremely heavy rainfall. However, officials indicated that the intensity of precipitation is expected to ease gradually as the system weakens further.

An Orange Alert has been issued for Sundargarh district, warning of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated locations. In addition, a Yellow Alert has been sounded for most other districts across Odisha. Authorities have urged citizens to remain cautious and follow safety advisories.

On Thursday night, torrential downpours accompanied by gusty winds of 50–60 kmph lashed several areas, uprooting trees and disrupting road traffic and power supply in many parts of the state.

Disaster management teams and district administrations have been placed on high alert to respond swiftly to emergencies. Residents, especially those in low-lying and riverbank areas, have been advised to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary travel.

While rainfall intensity is expected to taper off from today, officials cautioned that intermittent heavy showers may continue in northern and western Odisha over the next 24 hours.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda