The holy city of Puri has been lashed by extremely heavy rainfall over the past four days, coinciding with the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city recorded a massive 345.8 mm of rainfall between July 14 and July 18, with the downpour particularly intense in the initial days.
Between July 14–15, Puri received 143.8 mm, followed by 89.5 mm on July 15–16, and 21.4 mm on July 16–17. In the past 24 hours alone (from 8:30 AM July 17 to 8:30 AM July 18), the city recorded 86.6 mm of rain.
The relentless showers have led to waterlogging in several areas, creating difficult conditions for lakhs of devotees attending the festival. Despite the challenging weather, the spirit of devotion remains undeterred as pilgrims continue to throng the sacred city for darshan of the sibling deities.
The IMD has issued a fresh alert, warning that heavy rainfall is likely to persist over Puri. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as the nine‑day festival continues.
