A sudden and intense Kalbaisakhi (Nor’wester) storm unleashed havoc in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Sunday afternoon, with a devastating 10-minute whirlwind ripping through three villages in the Karanjia block, claiming at least two lives and leaving several others critically injured.
The storm struck Kia, Panposi, and Mendhashinga villages, destroying over a hundred homes, uprooting trees, and flipping vehicles. Eyewitnesses described terrifying scenes: a passenger auto-rickshaw was hurled into a pond, while motorcycles and scooters were tossed into the air by violent gusts accompanied by heavy hail and rain. Fire brigade teams rushed to the scene for rescue operations, extricating victims and shifting the injured to nearby medical facilities.
According to Regional Meteorological Centre scientist Dr. Sanjeev Dwivedi, the extreme weather was triggered by a trough line extending from northeast Uttar Pradesh through Chhattisgarh and interior Odisha to the sea at 0.9 km above mean sea level. This system has brought cloudy conditions and a sharp drop in temperatures across the state, with daytime highs falling by up to 5°C below normal.
After several days of scorching heat exceeding 40°C, temperatures plummeted on Sunday. Nuapada recorded the highest at 38.2°C, followed by Bargarh and Balangir at 38°C, Jharsuguda at 37.7°C, and Bhawanipatna at 37.5°C. Other stations like Sundargarh (37°C), Rourkela (36.9°C), Paralakhemundi (36.6°C), Talcher (36.5°C), Sonepur (36.4°C), Sambalpur, and Hirakud (36°C) also saw notable declines.
The Met department has issued alerts through March 18, warning of continued Kalbaisakhi activity with gusty winds and rain. An **Orange warning** is in place for Mayurbhanj on Monday, with winds of 50-60 kmph and heavy showers expected. **Yellow warnings** cover Sundargarh, Kendujhar, Balasore, Bhadrak (40-50 kmph gusts), and districts like Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati (30-40 kmph).
Dr. Dwivedi noted that scattered rain and thunderstorms (with winds up to 30 kmph) are likely across the state on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. No major weather changes are expected next week, though isolated activity may persist.
The trough has brought much-needed relief from prolonged heat, but the violent outbursts have caused significant damage and loss of life, particularly in northern Odisha. Authorities are assessing the full extent of destruction and providing relief to affected families. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and avoid open areas during thunderstorms.
