Widespread rains in Odisha as cyclone Michaung weakens into depression

Bhubaneswar: With the remnants of cyclonic storm Michaung weakening into a depression, Odisha's southern areas received moderate rainfall on Wednesday while the Gajapati district administration announced the closure of all schools due to heavy downpour, officials said.

The remnants of cyclonic storm Michaung weakened into a depression and lay centered at 5.30 AM of Wednesday at about 50 km east-northeast of Khammam, 110 km north-northwest of Gannavaram (Vijayawada) and 250 km southwest of Jagdalpur, the India Meteorological Department said.

The National Weather Agency said the system is likely to continue to move nearly northwards and weaken further into a well-marked low-pressure area during the next six hours.

Though there is no more cyclone threat for Odisha, Michaung's remnants will cause widespread rains in the districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Nabarangpur districts while Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada also received very heavy rainfall on Tuesday night, the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) office said.

The state's average rainfall in the last 24 hours was recorded at 6.5 mm with the highest downpour of 106.0 mm reported in Pottangi Block of Koraput District, it said.

As per the IMD, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada districts will continue to receive heavy rainfall till Thursday morning.

Gajapati district administration has announced the closure of all schools on Wednesday owing to heavy rains. All the primary, upper primary, high schools and Anganwadi centres will remain closed on Wednesday, an official said.

Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu said that there is no more cyclone fear for Odisha as it has made its landfall in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday afternoon.

"The district authorities have been asked to submit a damage report once the rain subsides. Compensation will be provided after examining the report," Sahu said.

However, IMD sources said that the rainfall activities will continue in the state till Wednesday evening.

The cyclone has weakened slowly after making landfall in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. During the landfall process, the severe cyclonic storm passed with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.