Bhubaneswar, June 26: The annual Rath Yatra in Puri may be affected by heavy rainfall, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast adverse weather conditions for Odisha on Friday.
With lakhs of devotees expected to gather in Puri for the Rath Yatra, authorities are closely monitoring the weather situation. Contingency plans are being put in place to ensure the safety of pilgrims and the smooth conduct of the festivities despite the forecasted downpour.
A low-pressure system is likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Odisha and West Bengal coasts within the next 12 hours. This development, triggered by an active upper air cyclonic circulation in the region, is expected to bring widespread showers and thunderstorms across several parts of the state from June 27 to 29.
The IMD has issued orange and yellow alerts for multiple districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds with speeds reaching 30–40 kmph.
District-wise Rainfall Alerts for June 27:
- Orange Warning (Heavy to Very Heavy Rainfall, Thunderstorm, Lightning, Gusty Winds):
Likely at one or two places in Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj. - Yellow Warning (Heavy Rainfall, Thunderstorm, Lightning, Gusty Winds):
Expected at isolated places in Bargarh, Deogarh, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Angul, and Dhenkanal.
Thunderstorm with lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Balasore, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati.
June 28
Yellow Warning: Heavy Rain very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal.
June 29
Yellow Warning: Heavy Rain is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, and Bargarh.
