IMD regional office has issued a yellow warning for rain and thundershower in 16 districts of Odisha

Bhubaneswar:19/3/23: The regional office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) here has issued a yellow warning for rain and thundershower in 16 districts of Odisha on Sunday. According to the IMD bulletin, light to moderate rain or thundershower is likely to occur at one or two places in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Boudh, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Puri, Khurda, Ganjam, Gajapati and Nayagarh districts due to the impact of western disturbances.

Several places in Odisha have experienced rain and thundershowers during the past two days. Some places have received heavy rainfall and experienced hailstorms along with the high-speed wind. In some places, the wind speed was from 40 kmph to 80 kmph.

IMD has forecast light to moderate rain with thundershowers at various places in coastal Odisha on Sunday too.

Meanwhile, the capital city Bhubaneswar and its neighbouring Cuttack experienced the first rainfall and thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind of the year on Saturday.

Rain and thunderstorms occurred at several places in Sambalpur and Balangir districts. Lamtaput in the Koraput district recorded 68.2 mm of rainfall.

One Chunamani Majhi died in the Baisinga area of the Mayurbhanj district after being struck by lightning while she was sitting on the veranda of her house Saturday evening.

The weather is likely to change from March 22 onwards, the IMD predicted.