Bhubaneswar: Light rain or thunderstorm with lightning may occur at one or two places in Sundargarh and Kalahandi districts of Odisha by noon on Monday.
The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow warning for the districts. People have been advised to keep a watch on the weather and move to safer places to protect themselves from lightning strikes.
According to the morning bulletin, thunderstorms, lightning and squally wind speed reaching 50-60 and gusting to 70 with hailstorm may occur over Odisha on March 16. Isolated to scattered light/moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning and gusty wind speed reaching 30-50 kmph is likely in the state from March 16-19.
On Sunday, the regional centre had issued orange warning for Mayurbhanj and yellow warning for Su
ndargarh, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati, which may experience stormy weather conditions on March 16.
Yellow warning of thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching up to 30-40 kmph continues for Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Gajapati on March 17, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Rayagada on March 18, and Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Gajapati on March 19.
Sunday also saw devastating impact from a severe nor’wester tornado that struck several villages along National Highway-220 near Karanjia in Mayurbhanj district around 4 pm, uprooting trees and electric poles. The powerful storm claimed two lives and left 17 others injured. Over 100 houses were damaged. Strong winds impacted road traffic too and an auto-rickshaw landed in a nearby pond after being blown off the road. Among the hardest-hit areas were Kia and Kankada villages in Karanjia block, with significant damage also reported in nearby Panapasi and Dumuria.