Pre-monsoon rain lashed parts of Odisha, particularly the coastal belt comprising state capital Bhubaneswar, on Thursday, the Met office said.

Rain was reported from Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts, senior weather scientist Uma Shankar Das told PTI, adding that monsoon is set to enter Odisha in the next few days.

In Bhubaneswar, heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm & lightning lashed Old Town, Airport, Khandagiri.?The rain brought respite for the people of Bhubaneswar as the city has been experiencing hot and humid weather for about a month, Met sources said.

The Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said light to moderate rain, thunderstorm with lightning is likely in some parts of Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi & Kandhamal during the day. “The conditions are favourable for advancement of southwest monsoon into Odisha,” MeT office tweeted.