Bhubaneswar: Several districts of Odisha will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Thursday under the influence of a cyclonic disturbance over the north Bay of Bengal. According to the regional office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) here, a cyclonic disturbance is active over the north and central Bay of Bengal and it will cause heavy rainfall in 17 districts of the state today.
Widespread rainfall is likely over western and some interior districts of Odisha within the next 24 hours, the weather office said. Consequently, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in 17 districts of the state.
The MeT office predicts that the amount and intensity will increase in the state till July 10. Some places in coastal Odisha are likely to experience thunderstorms and lightning.
Since the beginning of the monsoon in June, Odisha has received 176.5 mm of rain, which is below the average rainfall during this period.
People have been advised to watch the weather and take precautions to avoid lightning and thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, the state has experienced widespread rainfall in the last 24 hours, mostly light to moderate. Barkot in Devgarh district recorded the highest rainfall of 127.6 mm followed by a 104 mm rainfall record at Gurundia in Sundergarh district and an 87.4 mm rainfall record at Gunpur in Rayagada.
