Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday sounded orange warning for six districts of Odisha.
Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 50- 60 kmph may occur in the afternoon/evening hours at a few places in Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam and Kandhamal districts, according to the midday bulletin.
The IMD has warned of damage to plantation, horticulture and standing crop, loose/unsecured structures due to strong winds in these districts. People have been advised to keep watch on weather and take shelter at safe places during the thunderstorm activity to protect from lightning strikes.. Also harvesting of crops may be regulated judicially, it added.
Thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 40- 50 kmph is also likely in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two placesin Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi.
The weather agency has also forecast light to moderate rain or thundershower in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati and Nabarangpur.
The thunderstorm activity is likely to continue till April 15.
While there is no warning thereafter, light to moderate rain or thundershower may continue in the afternoon/evening hours at many places across the state on April 16, and at a few places in North Interior Odisha and at one or two places in coastal Odisha, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur on April 17, with little change in the weather condition during the subsequent 3 days.
The MeT office further stated that there will be no large change in the day temperature during the next 4 to 5 days in the state. Mercury may soar past 40 degree Celsius at isolated pockets in Balangir and Sundargarh districts.
