Several Odisha districts likely to experience rainfall today due to depression

Bhubaneswar: Several districts of Odisha are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Friday as a depression over Jharkhand and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal moves west-northwestwards, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).The depression was located over Jharkhand and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal at 5.30 am on Friday. It was about 40 km north-northwest of Jamshedpur, 50 km west-southwest of Purulia and 70 km east-southeast of Ranchi.The system is likely to continue moving west-northwestwards across Jharkhand and weaken into a well-marked low pressure area within the next 24 hours.The IMD has issued an orange warning for four Odisha districts. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh and Sambalpur.A yellow warning has also been issued for Balasore, Deogarh, Angul, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada and Balangir, where heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places.The weather office has also forecasted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds, with wind speeds reaching 30 to 40 kmph, in several districts. These include Balasore, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada and Balangir.