IMD Issues Thunderstorm Alerts for 23 Odisha Districts, Including Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Orange and Yellow warnings for 23 districts across Odisha, including the capital Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds. The alerts remain in effect until 9:30 PM today.

An Orange Warning, indicating the possibility of severe weather, has been issued for Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Koraput, Kandhamal, Angul, Sundargarh, Dhenkanal, and Nuapada. These districts are likely to experience moderate thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by wind speeds of 40–50 kmph and light to moderate rainfall within the next few hours. The IMD has cautioned that the weather conditions could cause minor damage to unsecured structures, banana plantations, and standing crops.

In addition, a Yellow Warning has been issued for several other districts, including Cuttack (including the city), Khurda (including Bhubaneswar), Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Nayagarh, Boudh, Gajapati, Rayagada, Sonepur, Jajpur, Balasore, Ganjam, and Sambalpur. These areas may experience light to moderate thunderstorms, gusty winds reaching 30–40 kmph, and sporadic rainfall.

The IMD has advised residents across all affected districts to remain alert, avoid open areas during lightning activity, and move to safer locations if weather conditions worsen. Authorities have also urged the public to take necessary safety precautions to prevent weather-related incidents.