India, July 28 -- Heavy rainfall affected Odisha on Tuesday as a deep depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal continued to dump torrential rain across the state's northern and coastal regions.

Baleshwar recorded 246.6 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending Tuesday morning, one of the highest totals in the state, prompting district authorities to intensify drainage operations and keep emergency teams on standby.

Officials said all government, government-aided and private schools, from primary to higher secondary level, along with Anganwadi centres, would remain closed in Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Kendujhar districts as a precaution.

The deep depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal-Nort...