Environment

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday said several parts of Odisha are likely to experience heavy rainfall during the next 48 hours as a depression formed over North Bay of Bengal.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said the flood situation in Kalahandi and Rayagada districts is improving and the affected people are being served with cooked food through free kitchens.

Due to incessant rainfall, flash floods occurred in river Nagabali and Kalyani of Rayagada district on Sunday. As many as 12 villages in Kalyansinghpur and Rayagada Block have been affected.

Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Patnaik on Tuesday staged a dharna protesting pollution in Bankimuhan (river mouth) in Puri and demanded immediate steps to clean the beach.

The population of elephants in Odisha has increased marginally to 1976 this year from 1,954 recorded in 2015 census, said Forest and Environment minister Bijayshree Routray on Monday.

Odisha has received an average rainfall of 207.9 mm during June this year against the normal rainfall (Long Term Average) of 216.5 mm, registering a deficit of four per cent.

The southwest monsoon has finally hit some parts of Odisha, said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday.

Many parts of Odisha are likely to witness heavy rainfall during the next 24 hours as the deep depression formed over east-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into cyclonic storm ‘Mora’.

Intense heatwave prevailed across Odisha on Monday with Titlagarh in western region of the state becoming the hottest place recording 47 degrees Celsius, highest in the state so far this summer.

Odisha is likely to experience rains triggered by the south-west monsoon in the first week of June, said the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) here on Monday.