PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Aug 20: The deep depression which originated from the Bay of Bengal resulted in heavy to very heavy rain over Jharkhand during the past 24 hours.
The deep depression was located over southern Jharkhand and adjoining north Odisha and West Bengal near latitude 22.5°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 40 km south-southwest of Jamshedpur, about 120 Km southeast of Ranchi and about 220 Km east-northeast of Jharsuguda (Odisha).
It would continue to move west-northwestwards across Jharkhand and adjoining north Odisha and north Chhattisgarh towards north Madhya Pradesh during the next 24 hours and weaken gradually.
According to rain statistics, Jamshedpur recorded around 140 mm of rain while Ranchi and its adjoining areas recorded rainfall between 55 and 90 mm during the past 24 hours.
The overnight rain in southern and central Jharkhand was accompanied by wind blowing at a speed of 55 and 65 Kmph.
The gusty wind broke branches and uprooted trees at several places in Kolhan and several other places in southern Jharkhand disrupting traffic and power supply.
Several areas serviced by Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL ) in Jamshedpur and several other parts of Kolhan experienced a complete blackout. The power supply could not be restored at the time of filing this report.
Weathermen predicted rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places today.
IMD’s Ranchi Met Centre issued an alert of squally wind speed reaching 40-50 gusting to 60 kmph is likely over south Jharkhand and adjoining central Jharkhand (Ranchi and neighbourhood districts) during the next 12 hours.
The shower show during the past 24 hours helped in bringing down the state’s rain deficit figure to around 30 per cent.