Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued yellow warning of light to moderate rain/thundershower with lightning for 26 districts of Odisha, including twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, till 5 pm on Friday.
The districts that are likely to be affected are Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Khurda, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Angul.
People have advised to keep a watch on the weather and accordingly move to safer places to protect themselves from lightning strikes.
Notably, the weather agency has forecast heavy rain at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar, Angul, Koraput, Rayagada and Gajapati till 8.30 am on Saturday. Yellow warning of thunderstorm with lightning has also been issued for one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput. Light to moderate rain or thundershower may also occur at many places across the state.
