Thunderstorm, Rainfall Forecast: 20 Odisha Districts On High Alert

Bhubaneswar: Amid strong winds and heavy showers late Wednesday night, the Regional Meteorological Department in Bhubaneswar has warned of thunderstorm and lightning accompanied by moderate rainfall in as many as 20 districts of Odisha today.

As per the latest bulletin of the IMD, moderate thunderstorm and lightning accompanied by light rainfall is likely to continue at one or two places over the districts of Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Angul, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Nuapada, Bolangir, Koraput, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Puri and Nayagarh between 8 AM and 11 AM today.

People in these districts have been advised to remain alert as gusty winds reaching a speed up to 30-40 kmph and light to moderate rainfall is also likely to prevail during the thunderstorm.

Earlier this morning, similar alert was issued for 24 districts- Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Bargarh, Balasore, Puri, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Boudh and Keonjhar between 5 AM and 8 AM.

Though the Met department had earlier predicted that heat wave conditions will prevail in the State for another 2-3 days, many areas including the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and other coastal areas of Odisha witnessed heavy rainfall last night.

Meanwhile in Gujarat, the IMD has predicted that Cyclone Vayu is very likely to move nearly north-northwestwards along Saurashtra coast affecting Amreli, Gir Somnath, Diu, Junagarh, Porbandar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Kutch district with wind speed 155-165 kmph gusting to 180 kmph likely from today afternoon.