Bhubaneswar, June 1: A thunderstorm today brought relief from the sweltering heat but caused massive destruction at Nadankanan Zoological Park, forcing authorities to shut it down for the next two days.

Though the exact amount of loss is yet to be ascertained, zoo officials estimate put it at Rs 50 lakh. However, there has been no casualty of either animals or visitors in the storm that hit the city this afternoon.

A zoo official said hundreds of trees were either uprooted or damaged in the storm, while electric cables were snapped. The gale started lashing the park and the city around 1.30pm and had lasted for around 90 minutes. Walls of the enclosures of many animals also suffered damage.

"The thunderstorm led to snapping of power lines that affected the electronic ticketing system. We have asked Central Electricity Supply Utility officials to restore power. Our men have already started the work to remove debris. As the destruction has been large-scale, we have decided to keep the zoo closed on Friday and Saturday," said Nandankanan's deputy director Jayant Dash.

He said that around 200 persons were engaged in the restoration operation.

However, the botanical garden will remain open for visitors. "We made an inspection of the garden and cleared the tree branches lying on its roads. Tourists can visit the garden, though the zoo will be closed," said Dash.

Eyewitnesses said the situation became chaotic as tourists in the park started running for cover when branches of several trees started failing.

"We panicked as lightning struck and the storm began to blow hard. Several trees were uprooted and most of the roads were covered with their branches. But luckily, no one was hurt," said a tourist.

An official said they stopped several tourists at the entry point after the storm started. But by then, around 20 visitors, who were on the lion safari, got stuck in their bus. "After the storm abated, our men escorted the tourists from the bus as the road was covered with tree branches," he said.

Around 8,000 tourists visit the zoo on a single day during this time of the year.

The storm accompanied by showers, however, brought relief to residents, who had been reeling from heat and humid conditions for the past few weeks. Several parts of the city received mild rainfall bringing down the temperature. While the maximum temperature of the capital city was 41.9°C, it came down to 38.9°C this afternoon.

"The morning was pleasant because of the rain, but the sun started blazing in the afternoon. It then became so unbearable that a thunderstorm was the sole relief one could ask for. I hope the rain will continue at least for two days," said Jyotee Samal, a city resident.

Several places in the state also received rainfall. While Cuttack received 27mm of rainfall, Balasore's share was 21mm. Similarly, Hirakud received a rainfall of 9mm.

But despite the shower, nine places in the state recorded a temperature of 40°C and more. Titilagarh was the hottest at 43.5°C, followed by Sambalpur and Bhawanipatna at 43.2°C and 42.7°C, respectively.

Met officials have predicted rain and thundershower to take place at a few places in the state in the next 48 hours.