A severe drought looms large over many parts of Orissa due to inadequate rainfall this season. Most of the districts have received half the normal rainfall. According to revenue department sources, Nuapada district in western Orissa has received 56 per cent rainfall while Boudh and Malkangiri recorded 63 and 61 per cent,
respectively, since the onset of the monsoon in the second week of June. The situation in Angul, Bargarh, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Deogarh, Koraput, Jharsuguda and Sonepur appears to be quite worse. These districts have received less than 50 per cent rainfall.
In the coastal districts of Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak and Keonjhar, the situation is a little different as they received more than the anticipated normal rainfall.
The sources said that the cumulative rainfall recorded in the state during June 1 to July 29 stood at 407.4 mm, 23.8 per cent short of the anticipated normal rainfall of 534.5 mm.