Bhubaneswar, April 26: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms, which will be accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds, across several districts of Odisha. These conditions are expected to persist for the next seven days, until May 3.

As per the IMD's mid-day bulletin, thunderstorms with lightning and wind speeds of 30–40 km/h are likely to occur in the afternoon and evening hours at isolated places over Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Gajapati, Rayagada, and Koraput districts.

The IMD has also warned of hot and humid conditions, which are expected to affect isolated areas in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati districts on April 28 and 29.

In a separate forecast, the IMD has predicted more intense thunderstorm activity, with gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 km/h across several districts. The areas likely to experience these stronger storms include Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Nuapada, Sundargarh, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Khurda, Nayagarh, Puri, Sambalpur, Sonepur, and Deogarh.

The IMD has urged residents to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions, especially when outdoors during thunderstorms. The department also advised following safety guidelines to minimize risks associated with lightning.