Odisha govt puts five districts on alert after thunderstorm warning

Bhubaneswar: Following a yellow warning issued by the Meteorological Department for five districts, the Odisha government has placed the respective district administrations on alert, with the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) directing officials to remain prepared to handle any eventuality.

The SRC has instructed officials to keep the administrative machinery ready and advise residents to closely monitor weather conditions and take safe shelter during thunderstorm activity.

District administrations have also been asked to submit reports on any damage caused by thunderstorms, lightning, or rainfall.

The India Meteorological Department’s Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds at isolated places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, and Mayurbhanj districts. The yellow warning remains valid until 8:30 am on February 25, 2026.

The weather office also said a low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal persisted as of Tuesday morning. The associated cyclonic circulation is expected to move eastwards and gradually weaken over the next 24 hours.