Odisha Evacuates Over 8,000 as Deep Depression Brings Heavy Rain, Landslides

Heavy rainfall lashed several districts of Odisha on Thursday after a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal made landfall along the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh coast near Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district, officials said. The state government has shifted more than 8,000 people out of low-lying and landslide-prone areas, and ministers have travelled to the affected districts to oversee relief and rescue operations.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the weather system has brought widespread rainfall across the region over the past three days. Though the centre of the depression crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast, its rain-bearing clouds extended well into Odisha, causing landslides, waterlogging and the uprooting of trees, besides damage to houses. Rainwater flowing over roads disrupted communication in several areas, officials said.

The IMD said squally weather would prevail along the Odisha coast, with winds gusting up to 70 kmph. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till Friday morning. A red warning alert — the highest category in the IMD's colour-coded system — has been issued for four districts of the state.

A deep depression is a weather system with sustained wind speeds of about 50 to 61 kmph, one stage below a cyclonic storm. Such systems can still produce intense rainfall over a wide area, and the primary risk in Odisha has come from water, not wind: flooded roads, submerged fields and slopes made unstable by days of continuous rain.

Evacuation began before the system moved inland. Officials said 3,500 people had been moved to safety in an earlier phase, and the figure crossed 8,000 as conditions worsened. Those relocated are being housed in shelters, with arrangements for food, drinking water and medical assistance, officials said.

Odisha, which has faced several severe cyclones over the past two decades, follows an established protocol of pre-emptive evacuation from vulnerable areas. State authorities have repeatedly credited this approach with keeping casualties low during previous storms, though officials cautioned that the situation on the ground would be assessed district by district as the rain continues.

Ministers dispatched to affected districts are reviewing damage to homes, roads and power infrastructure, and coordinating with local administrations on restoring connectivity. District collectors have been asked to remain on alert and to report damage promptly so that compensation and relief can be processed without delay.

Residents in low-lying areas have been advised to stay indoors where possible, avoid crossing flooded roads and streams, and follow instructions issued by local authorities. People in landslide-prone pockets have been urged to move to safer locations if asked to do so.

The IMD is tracking the system as it moves further inland and weakens. Officials said the intensity of rainfall is expected to ease gradually, but water levels in rivers and reservoirs will need to be watched in the coming days. Updates on warnings and advisories are being issued at regular intervals.