Southwest monsoon hits state, heavy rain likely in coastal areas

Bhubaneswar: The southwest monsoon has finally set in over some parts of Odisha and heavy rain is forecast at several places in the next 24 hours, the IMD said on Monday.
According to a bulletin issued by the Bhubaneswar Met office, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Angul and Dhenkanal districts.
Gusty surface winds reaching speed of 45-50 km per hour to 60 kmph are likely to prevail along and off the north Odisha coast. As sea condition will be rough to very rough along and off Odisha coast during the period, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, the IMD said.
The conditions are favourable for further advance of monsoon into remaining parts of the state within the next 2-3 days. However, the rainfall is expected to increase after June 15, it added.