The regional center of India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued a yellow warning for the Twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar for the next three hours. Intense spells of rainfall, accompanied by thunder and lightning may occur in some parts of the cities, it predicted.

“Intense spells of rain are very likely over some parts of #Cuttack & Bhubaneswar city during the next two hours. Showers just after the Diwali Celebration is like ashirbaad as pollution in the air will get washed away by the rain,” IMD scientist Umashankar Das tweeted on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The districts likely to be affected include parts of Khordha (including Bhubaneswar) and Cuttack district including Cuttack City. The yellow warning has also been issued for the districts of Jajpur and Dhenkanal. The weather agency has also forecast light to moderate rain/thundershower at one or two places in the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bargarh, Sonepur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts.

Light to moderate rain may continue in North and South Odisha. However, dry weather may prevail from November 3, it was learnt.