Nor’wester Effect: Normal Life Paralysed As Sandstorm Sweeps Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Sandstorm and rain swept across Bhubaneswar bringing relief from heatwave to the denizens of the city on Thursday evening.

Odisha capital, which has been recording temperature around 40 degree Celsius for the last few days, continued to experience high temperature in the day time on Thursday. Around 5 pm, the city was hit by nor’wester.

Dark clouds engulfed the skyline of the city and surface wind at a speed of 40-50 km started blowing. Several parts of the city was also covered by sand due to the sandstorm. It was followed by heavy rain.

According to sources, trees in several areas of the city were uprooted, branches sapped and in some places, the electricity poles bent by the heavy wind. As a result, the power supply was cut off to almost entire city.

The area around Raj Mahal square, Bamikhal, Damana, Old Town and Sikharchandi were the worst affected areas of Bhubaneswar. The nor’wster has also affected the outskirts of neighbouring city Cuttack, the sources said.