Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday warned of thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph in 11 districts of Odisha.
The weather condition is likely to prevail in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Angul, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Nabarangpur.
The national forecaster also issued an advisory for these districts, where it said strong winds can damage standing crops, banana trees, loose/unsecured/vulnerable structures in these six districts. People have been advised to move to safer places during the thunderstorm activity to protect from lightning.
Yellow warning of thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 50- 60 kmph has also been issued for one or two places in Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh, and Kalahandi. Thunderstorm/ lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph may also occur in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Nuapada, Kandhamal, Boudh, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Jajpur, and Bargarh.
It has also warned of hot and humid conditions at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar. Sultry weather may prevail in Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati districts on May 16-17.
According to the weather agency, the nor’wester spell may continue in the state till May 18. There will be no large change in the day temperature during the next one week, it added.