Heavy rain, thunderstorms to lash Odisha; fishermen warned as sea turns rough

Bhubaneswar, June 18: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red warning for Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts of Odisha, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall under the influence of a well-marked low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal and its surrounding regions.

According to the IMD, these districts are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated pockets receiving extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph.

An orange warning has been issued for Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, and Balasore, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected along with thunderstorm and gusty winds. Similar weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and lightning, may occur in Bargarh, Sonepur, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, and Bhadrak districts.

Meanwhile, thunderstorm activity with gusty winds is also likely in Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, and several interior districts like Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri till 8:30 AM on Thursday.

The intensity of rainfall is expected to slightly reduce as the system gradually moves northwestwards across Jharkhand within the next 24 hours, but heavy rain may continue in Odisha till June 24.

Additionally, squally weather with wind speeds of 35–45 kmph, gusting up to 55 kmph, is expected along and off the Odisha coast on June 18 and 19. The sea condition will remain rough to very rough, and fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea during this period.