Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange warning for Khurda district in Odisha till 5.42 pm on Wednesday.
Moderate thunderstorms along with moderate rain and lightning may occur at a few places in the district in the next 2-3 hours, it said.
Amid the forecast, dark clouds hovered over Bhubaneswar sky in the afternoon and soon deafening thunder and heavy downpour followed.
The agency had earlier warned of light to moderate thundershower along with lightning or moderate rain at one or two places in Khurda, Nupada, Bargarh, Cuttack, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Angul, Sonepur, Boudh, Deogarh and Balasore districts, including twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, till 4.30 pm.
People have been advised to keep a watch on the weather and move to safer places to protect themselves from lightning strikes.
Notably, the intensity of rain is likely to increase in Odisha from July 24-26 under influence of a low-pressure area, which is likely to form after cyclonic circulation (remnants of Tropical Cyclone Wipha) emerges over north Bay of Bengal in the next 24 hours.
