Bhubaneswar: The Indian Meteorological Centre has issued a warning for 25 districts in Odisha, predicting heavy thunderstorms and hailstorms for tomorrow.
An orange Alert has been issued for eight districts, predicting thunderstorms with lightning, gusty surface wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph and hail while a yellow alert has been issued for 17 districts, predicting moderate rain with thunderstorms and hailstorms.
“Thunderstorms with lightning, gusty surface wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph and hail are very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, and Angul”, read IMD prediction meant for February 21.
Besides, the regional weather office has issued yellow alerts for thunderstorms with lightning to Bargarh, Boudh, Cuttack, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Khordha, Koraput, Malkangiri, Puri, Rayagada, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur and district Nayagarh.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has warned that thunderstorms with lightning and wind speeds of 30-40 kmph are likely to occur in these districts. The centre has advised people to stay indoors during the thunderstorms and avoid venturing out.
The trough from Gangetic West Bengal to Telangana now runs from north Bangladesh to Telangana across Gangetic West Bengal, interior Odisha & south Chhattisgarh. It is likely to cause thunderstorms and hailstorms, the IMD said.
Meanwhile, the regional weather office has advised people to keep watch on weather and take safe shelter during thunderstorms and follow traffic advisories in urban areas. Also, farmers have been advised to use hail nets to protect vegetables and crops from hail.