Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday placed five districts on high alert following yellow warning from India Meteorological Department (IMD) with the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) directing the district administrations to remain prepared to handle any eventuality.
According to the IMD’s midday bulletin, thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may occur at isolated places in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur and Mayurbhanj till Wednesday morning. Light rain or thunderstorm may also occur at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda, Puri, Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayag
ada.
The weather condition is being attributed to a low pressure area that persists over the southwest Bay of Bengal. “The system is likely to continue to move eastwards and weaken gradually during the next 24 hrs,” the weather agency said.
The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack also witnessed sudden downpour late afternoon amid warning of thunderstorm, lightning with surface wind speed gusting to 30-40 kmph and light to moderate rain for eight districts – Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack. Jajpur, Keonjhar, Khurda, Mayurbhanj and Nayagarh – till 7.30 pm.
The warning continues for Puri, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack (including Cuttack city), Mayurbhaj, Khurda (including Bhubaneswar), Nuapada and Bargarh till 9.30 pm. People have been advised to keep a watch on the weather and move to safer places to protect themselves from lightning strike.
The IMD has also warned of dense fog at isolated pockets in Jagatsinghpur, Khurda and Puri till Wednesday morning. Dry weather is likely to prevail thereafter across the state, which may also witness a fall in the night temperature by 2-4 degrees during next 3 days.