Bargarh/Sundargarh/Sambalpur: In view of a heavy rain warning issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), district administrations in several parts of Odisha have announced the closure of schools on July 29.

Sambalpur District Collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar has ordered all schools in the district, including private institutions, to remain closed on Wednesday following a red warning forecast. Educational institutions, including schools and colleges, had already remained shut in the district on Tuesday.

Similarly, Bargarh District Collector Aditya Goyal directed all schools to remain closed on July 29. The District Education Office has issued instructions to schools in compliance with the order.

In Sundargarh, acting on the directive of Collector Subhankar Mohapatra, the District Education Office has ordered the closure of all government, government-aided, and private schools on July 29. The directive also applies to Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), and Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas (OAVs). The move aims to ensure student safety in light of the IMD warning.

Earlier in the day, the administrations of Kendujhar, Jajpur, and Bhadrak districts had also announced school closures for Tuesday due to adverse weather forecasts.

According to the IMD, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at several places, with extremely heavy rainfall expected at one or two locations in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, and Sambalpur districts. A red warning has been issued for these areas.

Additionally, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Deogarh, Anugola, Dhenkanal, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada, and Balangir districts.

The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 50–60 kmph in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, and Sambalpur. In other districts, wind speeds may reach 40–50 kmph. An orange warning has been issued for these regions.

In a related development, the Odisha government has deputed three IAS officers to oversee flood management in the worst-affected districts. Sudarshan Chakraborty has been assigned to Balasore, Sudhansu Samal to Bhadrak, and Anwesha Reddy to Jajpur.