Bhubaneswar: There may be some respite in store for parts of Odisha that are facing severe heatwave-like conditions over the last several days. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast weeklong thundershowers, beginning Tuesday.
On Tuesday, coastal Odisha, along with the Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts, are expected to receive light rainfall. From Wednesday, the rain belt will expand to include the districts of Sundargarh, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Nabarangpur.
The rain, accompanied by strong winds, is likely to bring down daytime temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius. The stormy weather is likely to peak on Thursday and Friday. Rains will continue over the weekend, the IMD has forecast.
Monday, meanwhile, continued to remain a scorcher for several parts of the state. Angul recorded 42.7 degrees Celsius, followed by Boudh (41.8), Jharsuguda (41.6), and Titilagarh (41.5). The mercury breached the 40 degrees Celsius mark in Sonepur, Hirakud, and Sambalpur as well.
The low-pressure area has formed under the influence of a cyclonic circulation observed on Monday. Initially located over the central part of the south Bay of Bengal, the system has started moving towards the west-central Bay and is expected to progress north-west over the next 48 hours.
While the widespread rainfall is likely to bring some relief, the weather office has warned people people against venturing outdoors during the thunderstorms, particularly in lighting-prone areas.
