Thunderstorm, hail forecast in 22 Odisha districts

Bhubaneswar: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of thunder squall accompanied with hail and gusty surface wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph likely to occur in 22 districts of Odisha in the next 24 hours.

The districts likely to be affected are Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nawarangpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sundergarh, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Cuttack and Nayagarh.

Thunder squall accompanied with hail and gusty surface wind speed reaching 50-60 Kmph likely to occur at one or two  places  over the districts of  Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nawarangpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sundergarh, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Cuttack and Nayagarh,” warned a bulletin issued by the IMD’s local centre here.

The IMD has also forecast the likelihood of heavy rainfall at one or two places over the coastal districts.

Further, strong and gusty surface wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65  kmph  likely to prevail along and off Odisha coast, the bulletin added.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.