Fri Sep 26 04:13:27 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Odisha on High Alert as Depression Threatens Heavy Rainfall
**Bhubaneswar, September 26, 2025** – The Odisha government has issued a high alert for 18 districts in anticipation of heavy rainfall and potential flooding as a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal intensifies into a depression. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts the system will cross the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coasts by tomorrow morning, September 27th.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Deoranjan Kumar Singh addressed district collectors via video conference yesterday, urging them to take all necessary precautions. The IMD forecasts extremely heavy rainfall in Koraput and Malkangiri districts, with other parts of south Odisha expected to experience heavy showers.
District collectors in the most vulnerable areas, including Koraput, Malkangiri, and Nabarangpur, have cancelled all government employee leaves and instructed personnel to remain stationed in preparation for potential damage and flooding. Collectors in Rayagada, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Balasore, and Nuapada have also been asked to remain on alert.
The SRC has directed district collectors to proactively deploy Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Service personnel to vulnerable locations. “The State government is closely monitoring the situation. We request the public not to panic over the impending situation,” stated Mr. Singh.
While the Water Resources Department assures that reservoirs in the southern region are capable of containing rainwater, engineer-in-chief C.S. Padhi noted that water levels in the Mahanadi River are expected to swell. Twenty sluice gates of the Hirakud dam have been opened to discharge excess water, and approximately 6 lakh cusec of water is projected to flow at the Mundali barrage near Cuttack today.
First Piper 