Deep depression drenches Odisha as Andhra taps rains to refill reservoirs
Heavy rain from a deep depression that made landfall near Kalingapatnam has forced evacuations in Odisha and prompted Andhra Pradesh to conserve the downpour.
A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has left a trail of heavy rain across India's eastern coast, forcing authorities in Odisha to move thousands of residents out of harm's way even as Andhra Pradesh moved to make the most of the downpour.
The weather system made landfall near Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district, the India Meteorological Department said, bringing three days of widespread rain to the region.
In Odisha, officials said more than 8,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying and landslide-prone areas as the southern districts brace for floods and landslips. Two senior ministers — Rabi Narayan Naik, who holds the Panchayati Raj portfolio, and Gokulananda Mallik, in charge of Fisheries — have been deputed to Koraput and Gajapati districts respectively to supervise the response.
Across the border in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to use the rainfall to fill all available water resources in the State. The showers have come as a relief for Andhra Pradesh, which has been grappling with a significant rainfall deficit.
The depression's impact has been felt beyond the two States, with heavy rain reported in parts of the region as the system moved inland.