Heavy rains and yellow warning hit Odisha's Puri during Rath Yatra

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow warning for four Odisha districts—Baragada, Nuapada, Balangir and Nabarangpur—anticipating light rain with possible thundershowers. An advisory was also released for devotees in Puri, forecasting hazy, partly‑cloudy skies, temperatures of 28‑30 °C and humidity between 85‑90 % during the Rath Yatra.

In the following days, Puri recorded the state’s highest rainfall, 86.6 mm in 24 hours, with localized totals up to 105 mm. The downpour caused extensive water‑logging, prompting the Odisha Fire Services to deploy high‑capacity pumps at schools, hotels, medical facilities and transport hubs. Traffic to the city was heavily disrupted and fire stations responded to 36 monsoon‑related emergencies. Nearby districts also saw elevated rain, ranging from 62.5 mm in Jagatsinghpur to 44.1 mm in Kendrapara. The IMD warned that heavy rain could continue in parts of the region over the next two days.