Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued Orange and Yellow warnings for several districts of Odisha, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds of up to 60 kmph over the next two days, while advising fishermen not to venture into the sea till June 22 due to rough to very rough sea conditions.
According to the IMD’s midday weather bulletin issued at 2 pm, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely at a few places across all districts of the state during the next 24 hours. An Orange Warning has been issued for Balasore, Bhadrak, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Gajapati districts, where thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 50-60 kmph are likely at isolated places till Friday morning.
A Yellow Warning has been sounded for Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh districts, where thunderstorms with lightning and wind speeds of 40-50 kmph are expected. Sambalpur district is also likely to experience isolated heat-wave conditions, while hot and humid weather may prevail in several coastal and southern districts.
The weather agency has forecast a further increase in rainfall activity from June 19 to June 21, with light to moderate rain or thundershowers likely at many places across Odisha. Thunderstorm warnings will continue during this period, although their intensity is expected to gradually reduce after June 20.
IMD said conditions remain favourable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into additional parts of Odisha, Telangana, Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh during the next four to five days.
The department warned that strong winds could damage standing crops, plantations, banana trees, power and communication lines, and vulnerable structures. People have been advised to remain indoors during thunderstorms, avoid sheltering under trees, stay away from water bodies and unplug electrical appliances during lightning activity.
For fishermen, IMD has issued a five-day warning, stating that squally weather with wind speeds of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, is likely to prevail along and off the Odisha coast from June 18 to June 22. Sea conditions are expected to remain rough to very rough, and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during this period.