The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a forecast predicting significant rainfall throughout Odisha, including Puri, and has released weather advisories for attendees of the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra.
On Thursday, the IMD indicated that various regions in Odisha, especially Puri where millions of devotees are participating in the Rath Yatra celebrations, will experience increased rainfall due to a low-pressure system developing over the Bay of Bengal.
This weather pattern is expected to evolve into a well-defined low-pressure area, moving northwest across northern Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal within the next 12 hours, according to the IMD’s bulletin.
As a result of this weather system, heavy rain is anticipated in numerous districts, including Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Anugola, Debagada, Sambalpur, Sundaragada, Jharsuguda, Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Khordha, Nayagada, Kataka, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Baragada, Sonpur, and Boudh on Thursday.
The bulletin reported that Banki in Kataka district received the highest rainfall of 210 mm in the last 24 hours up until 8:30 AM Thursday, with nine other locations also experiencing very heavy rain ranging from 115 to 210 mm during the same timeframe. The IMD has advised pilgrims to remain vigilant during thunderstorms and lightning, as large crowds continue to attend the ‘Pahandi’ ceremony, which features the procession of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath, marking the start of the nine-day Rath Yatra at the Puri temple.
Furthermore, the IMD cautioned devotees to seek shelter in permanent structures during heavy rain or lightning, avoiding trees, electric poles, or temporary buildings.
