Bhubaneswar: Schools and Anganwadi centres have been closed in several districts of Odisha as a precautionary measure amid forecasts of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall under the influence of a depression over the Bay of Bengal.

In Khordha district, all government, government-aided and private schools, along with Anganwadi centres, will remain closed from September 22 to 24, according to the district administration. The decision was taken in view of the forecast of heavy rainfall. Teachers and other school staff, however, will continue to attend schools. The previously scheduled NRTS examination will also be held as planned.

The Ganjam district administration has also announced closure of all government, government-aided and private schools from September 22 to 24 in view of the heavy rainfall forecast.

In Jagatsinghpur, all schools and Anganwadi centres will remain closed on September 22. The district administration announced the closure considering the possibility of heavy rainfall.

Similarly, schools and Anganwadi centres in Gajapati district will remain closed from September 22 to 24. The order covers government and private schools and has been issued as a precautionary measure against the impact of heavy rainfall.

The closures come as a depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a deep depression during the next 24 hours. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system is likely to move towards the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast and cross the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during the night of September 23 and early hours of September 24.

The weather system is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to several parts of Odisha, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall likely in some southern districts. The IMD has also warned of squally winds along the south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts.