Bhubaneswar: Rain, accompanied by nor’wester — Kalbaisakhi, brought relief Monday from the heatwave conditions that swept Odisha over the last fortnight.
Trees and electricity poles were uprooted in various parts of the state, including Bhubaneswar, blocking roads, officials said.
Several trees also fell at Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s official residence.
“Fire service personnel removed the uprooted trees from the campus of the CM’s residence,” a senior official said.
Over 20 of the state’s 30 districts witnessed thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms and gusty winds, causing severe damage to standing crops, including paddy, an official of the Disaster Management Department said.
Minor damage to kutcha houses and huts was reported from Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak and Balasore, he said.
Thundershowers are likely in most parts of the coastal region, along with Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri, Tuesday, according to the forecast.
An ‘orange’ warning, notifying people to be prepared for a thunderstorm Tuesday afternoon, was issued for Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar, Bhadrak and Jajpur.
The rains brought down the maximum temperature significantly. Bolangir, which recorded 40.4 degrees Celsius, was the only place in the state to witness a maximum temperature of above 40 degrees Celsius.