IMD warns of heavy rain, thunder in 12 dists
- Bhubaneswar: The state government on Thursday issued a fresh alert to all district collectors as IMD issued an orange warning of heavy rain and thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind in 12 districts on Friday. Similar activity would continue in several districts in a scattered manner till April 1, the forecast said.
- The special relief com- missioner has asked districts under orange/ yellow warning to keep administrative machinery ready to face any eventuality. Continuous vigil in low-lying areas, dewatering wherever required, including urban areas may be taken up, the advisory said."
- HR Biswas, the regional head of IMD center, said such activity would be expected in the next two days mostly under the influence of north-south trough and western disturbance. He said gusty wind speed may touch 40 to 50 km/hour at isolated places during rain and thunderstorm in the next two days.
- IMD while suggesting people to take safe shelter du- ring thunderstorm and lightning too advised harvesting of rabi crops may be regulated judicially, he said. Biswas added such rain or thunderstorm chances would decrease by April 2.
- For Friday, orange warning has been issued to Jharsuguda, Sondergard, Keonjhar Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jaipur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kendra Pada, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur districts. This apart yellow warning also issued for few more districts.
- IMD rainfall report said a few places in the state also experienced rain and thunderstorm in the last 24 hours by Thursday morning. Bhuban in Dhenkanal district recorded highest of 78 mm rain, IMD report said.