Bhubaneswar: As nor-wester coupled with heavy rain wreaked havoc across Odisha, a number of trees got uprooted at Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s official residence in Bhubaneswar.
While heavy rain during ‘Kalbaisakhi’ brought considerable relief from the scorching heat, the storm caused widespread damage in different parts of the state on Monday night.
When the storm subsided, fire service personnel swung into action and promptly removed the uprooted trees from the Chief Minister’s residence, official sources said.
Reports from different places said that extensive damage and disruption took place under the impact of the nor-wester storm. Strong winds uprooted a large number of trees, snapped power lines, and damaged roofs, leaving many without electricity or shelter.
Standing crops were also destroyed, and roads got blocked, disrupting rescue efforts.
Sources said around 20 of the 30 districts were badly hit by thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms, and gusty winds, damaging standing crops such as paddy. Officials from the Disaster Management Department also reported minor damage to kutcha houses and huts in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, and Balasore districts.
As per the India Meteorological Department, more rain is on the horizon. Thunderstorms are forecast for Tuesday in several districts, including the coastal regions, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri. Residents are advised to stay alert and take necessary precautions.
An orange warning was issued for Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, and Jajpur, alerting residents to prepare for thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon.
The rains have led to a significant drop in maximum temperatures across the state, with Balangir being the only district to record a temperature above 40 degrees Celsius, at 40.4 degrees.
The weather agency has also sounded a yellow warning for 21 districts, except for western Odisha, on Tuesday.
People have been advised to remain cautious as winds are expected to blow at speeds of 40-50 kmph in some areas of the coastal districts.
