Bhubaneswar, Sept. 26 (UDN): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a short-duration thunderstorm alert for nine districts of Odisha, forecasting rain, lightning and gusty winds over the next three hours.

According to the nowcast warning issued by the regional meteorological centre at 10:20 am, light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning is likely at a few places in Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Cuttack, Khordha, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts.

The weather department has also warned of gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph during the period.

The alert covers Cuttack City and Bhubaneswar City as well, where residents may experience sudden changes in weather conditions.

The IMD has advised people in the affected areas to remain alert and monitor further weather updates. Residents have also been urged to take necessary precautions during thunderstorm activity.

People are advised to remain indoors during lightning and strong winds and avoid taking shelter under trees or other exposed locations.

Authorities are keeping a close watch on the evolving weather conditions, with further updates expected based on the movement and intensity of the storm activity.