With over 389.6 mm rains in October this year, Odisha has recorded the highest in the past two years.
The first 23 days of the month witnessed at least 389.6 mm rainfall against the normal showers of 111 mm, recording a 267 per cent rise. The State had received about 70 mm rainfall last year, while in 2011 it was 23.3 mm only, Met office sources said.
Till October 27, Nayagarh district recorded heavy rainfall of 798 mm, registering 403 per cent rise due to cyclone Phailin and the subsequent low pressure-induced rains, whereas Baleswar recorded 744 mm with 353 percent and Ganjam experienced 740 mm rainfall with 340 per cent rise. Puri, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Bhadrak districts have received more than 600 mm rainfall, sources said.
“Almost all the districts have recorded excess rainfall in October this year. Cyclonic storm Phailin and the subsequent rains due to a well-marked low pressure in the Bay of Bengal brought heavy to very heavy rainfall in many parts of the State in the second week of the month, which is very exceptional,” said Bhubaneswar IMD Director Sarat Sahoo.
Sahoo stated that it is the effect of climate change. “It is the effect of erratic climate change phenomenon,” said Sahoo, adding that more rains will occur in the next 24 hours.