Rain accompanied by gusty winds and hailstrom today lashed parts of Odisha including the state capital Bhubaneswar.
While Chandbali in Bhadrak district recorded 58.8 mm rainfall, Paradip in the coast received 27.2 mm rainfall. Heavy downpour has also been reported from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Puri, Baripada, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Hirakud, Daringbadi and Dhenkanal, IMD sources said.
Rainfall, along with lightning in several districts, brought much-needed respite from the scorching heat. Trees and electricity poles were uprooted at several places, while farmers alleged crop loss due to the rain.
Unofficial reports from Kendrapara, Subarnapur and Bargarh districts claimed three persons died from the rains.
"We cannot confirm the deaths. The concerned district authorities will confirm the deaths," Deputy Special Relief Commissioner Pravat Mohapatra told PTI.
At least two Bhubaneswar-bound flights were today diverted to Kolkata due to heavy rain and inclement weather conditions.
An Indigo flight which left Bengaluru at 9.55 am and arrived in Bhubaneswar at 12.40 pm, was diverted to Kolkata as the authorities of the air traffic control at the Biju Patnaik International Airport did not allow the flight to land due to strong wind accompanied by rain.
Similarly, the Hyderabad-Bhubaneswar Air Asia flight, which left Hyderabad at 11.15 am and arrived in Bhubaneswar at 1 pm had to leave for Kolkata due to bad weather.
In Puri, chariot construction work was affected for about two hours as rain lashed the temple town this afternoon.
The Regional Centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued thunderstorm warning for as many as 17 districts of Odisha.
The latest Doppler weather radar and satellite imageries indicate that thunderstorm accompanied by hail and gusty surface wind speed reaching 50 to 60 kmph is likely to occur in these districts, an IMD bulletin stated.
The IMD also forecast heavy to very heavy rain at one or two places in coastal Odisha.
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