Nor’wester rains lash Bhubaneswar; broken-off tree branches disrupt traffic 

Besides bringing much-needed relief from the scorching heat after a prolonged heat wave spell, the Nor’wester rains that lashed Bhubaneswar on Monday afternoon also left a trail of destruction. 

In the afternoon, Bhubaneswar residents witnessed an overcast sky and in no time rains followed by gusty wind battering the city. Under the impact of the storm, branches of trees, even huge ones, broke off at different places in the capital city.  In areas near Dhauli, broken branches fell on roads, disrupting vehicular movement for some time. 

Also Read: IMD issues orange warning for thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds up to 50 kmph in Odisha

As per the Bhubaneswar regional centre of IMD, the wind speed was recorded at around 80kmph in areas near the airport. 

The weather was so bad that a chopper carrying Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik couldn’t land at Bhubaneswar airport and was forced to divert to Jharsuguda airport. 

Back in the city, Fire Services personnel were immediately pressed into service to clear the roads. Using equipment, they cut the broken and hanging branches and cleared roads for vehicular movement. 

Not only Bhubaneswar but also some other parts of the state also experienced Nor’wester rains, bringing some respite from the heat wave.