Heavy rain continued to batter Odisha on Thursday as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal advanced towards the coast, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue multiple alerts across the state.

The system, moving north-northwest at 13 kmph, is expected to cross the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast between Gopalpur and Paradip by Thursday night, informed the IMD.

Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said the IMD has issued a red alert for Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal, where rainfall is expected to exceed 20 cm till Friday morning.

“The depression lies centred about 160 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, 200 km south of Puri, and 280 km south-southwest of Paradip. Under its influence, all Odish

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