Bhubaneswar: Thunderstorms along with rainfall has cooled down the boiling environment in the State today with mercury falling down in all districts except Malkangiri where the maximum temperature was 41.1 degrees Celsius.
The maximum temperature was above 40 degrees at 21 places yesterday. Industrial township of Angul was the hottest place yesterday at 43.5 degrees Celsius.
The maximum temperature would fall by 2-3 degrees Celsius during the next 24 hours and rise by 2-3 degrees C in subsequent three days thereafter at many places over the State, IMD said.
Light to moderate rainfall occurred in many places of the state on Sunday between 8.30 am to 5.30 pm. Highest 6 mm rainfall was recorded at Keonjhar while 3.2 mm rainfall was recorded at Baripada, 3 mm at Dhenkanal, 2.2 mm at Rayagada and 2 mm at Angul & Daringbadi, the IMD said.
Forecasting thunderstorm with lightning accompanied with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph on April 9, the weather office has issued Yellow Warning (be updates) for districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Angul.
Meanwhile, three tourists have been injured due to lightning strike in Balasore district. Three persons including two tourists from West Bengal were injured after lightning struck them while roaming at the Udayapur beach area in Balasore district. The injured persons have been admitted to a local hospital.In another incident, 15 goats were killed after being struck by lightning at Batasasan village in Ganjam district.