Let $X\to Y$ be a $d:1$ ramified covering map from a smooth complex projective variety $X$ to a smooth complex projective variety $Y$.

--What does the smoothness imply on the branch locus in $X$ or its image in $Y$?
Does it imply that its a normal crossing?

--If not, assuming $Y=\mathbb{P}^n$, can we always deform $X$ to get a normal-crossing branch locus in $\mathbb{P}^n$ (or at least for its preimage in $X$)?


** Regarding the nice answer of Tony, you may assume $X$ is simply-connected**