Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange and yellow warnings for 17 districts of Odisha, including twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, till 5 pm on Tuesday.
Moderate thunderstorm/lightning accompanied by surface wind speed reaching 40 – 50 kmph and light to moderate rain may affect some parts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Rayagad and Gajapati districts in three hours. There could be damage to loose/unsecured structures, banana trees and standing crops in these districts. People have been advised to keep a watch on the weather and move to safer places accordingly.
Similarly, light to moderate thunderstorm/lightning with surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph and light to moderate rain lmay also occur in some parts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack (including Cuttack city), Khurda (including Bhubaneswar), Puri, Ganjam and Boudh.
People have been advised take shelter at safer places during thunderstorm activity to protect themselves from lightning strikes.
These warnings have come even as a low pressure area has formed over northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast. The system is likely to move slowly northwards and become more marked during next 48 hours.
