Bhubaneswar: Residents across several parts of Odisha got respite from the scorching heat on Wednesday after Nor’wester rain lashed many areas of the state.

The rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty surface winds, occurred in the afternoon in most regions. In some places, strong winds uprooted large trees.

In the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, people who had been reeling under intense humidity found relief after the showers. In Cuttack, the rain continued for nearly an hour.

The rain also lashed Jagatsinghpur, Kalahandi and Jajpur districts.

Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar had forecast thunderstorms with lightning, hail, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 50–60 kmph in the afternoon and evening hours at one or two places in districts including Sundargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj. Similar forecasts were issued for Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, and Deogarh, with orange warnings in place for these districts.

Despite the rain, 17 locations in the state recorded maximum temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above. Sambalpur was the hottest, with a temperature of 44.2 degrees Celsius.